New parameter sets for the Lagrangian density in the relativistic mean field (RMF) theory, PK1 with nonlinear $\sigma$- and $\omega$-meson self-coupling, PK1R with nonlinear $\sigma$-, $\omega$-, and $\rho$-meson self-coupling, and PKDD with the density-dependent meson-nucleon coupling are proposed. They are able to provide an excellent description not only for the properties of nuclear matter but also for the nuclei in and far from the valley of $\beta$ stability. For the first time in the parametrization of the RMF Lagrangian density, the center-of-mass correction is treated by a microscopic way, which is essential to unify the description of nuclei from light to heavy regions with one effective interaction.

4 pages, 3 figures - PTHA new relativistic Hartree-Fock approach with density-dependent $\sigma$, $\omega$, $\rho$ and $\pi$ meson-nucleon couplings for finite nuclei and nuclear matter is presented. Good description for finite nuclei and nuclear matter is achieved with a number of adjustable parameters comparable to that of the relativistic mean field approach. With the Fock terms, the contribution of the $\pi$-meson is included and the description for the nucleon effective mass and its isospin and energy dependence is improved

A new effective interaction PKA1 with ρ-tensor couplings for the density dependent relativistic Hartree-Fock (DDRHF) theory is presented. It is obtained by fitting selected empirical ground state and shell structure properties. It provides satisfactory descriptions of nuclear matter and the ground state properties of finite nuclei at the same quantitative level as recent DDRHF and relativistic mean field (RMF) models. Significant improvement in the single-particle spectra is also found due to the inclusion of ρ-tensor couplings. As a result, PKA1 cures a common disease of the existing DDRHF and RMF Lagrangians, namely, the artificial shells at 58 and 92, and recovers the realistic subshell closure at 64. Moreover, the proper spin-orbit splittings and well-conserved pseudospin symmetry are obtained with the new effective interaction PKA1. Due to the extra binding introduced by the ρ-tensor correlations, the balance between the nuclear attractions and the repulsions is changed, and this constitutes the physical reason for the improvement of the nuclear shell structure.

The β-decay half-lives of neutron-rich nuclei with 20≤Z≤50 are systematically investigated using the newly developed fully self-consistent proton–neutron quasiparticle random phase approximation (QRPA), based on the spherical relativistic Hartree–Fock–Bogoliubov (RHFB) framework. Available data are reproduced by including an isospin-dependent proton–neutron pairing interaction in the isoscalar channel of the RHFB+QRPA model. With the calculated β-decay half-lives of neutron-rich nuclei a remarkable speeding up of r-matter flow is predicted. This leads to enhanced r-process abundances of elements with A≳140, an important result for the understanding of the origin of heavy elements in the universe

The evolution of nuclear shell structure is investigated for the first time within density-dependent relativistic Hartree-Fock theory and the role of $\pi$-exchange potential is studied in detail. The energy differences between the neutron orbits $\Lrb{\nu1h_{9/2},\nu 1i_{13/2}}$ in the N=82 isotones and between the proton ones $\Lrb{\pi1g_{7/2},\pi1h_{11/2}}$ in the Z=50 isotopes are extracted as a function of neutron excess $N-Z$. A kink around $Z = 58$ for the N=82 isotones is found as an effect resulting from pion correlations. It is shown that the inclusion of $\pi$-coupling plays a central role to provide realistic isospin dependence of the energy differences. In particular, the tensor part of the $\pi$-coupling has an important effect on the characteristic isospin dependence observed in recent experiments.