We present a survey of the phenomenological adjustment of the parameters of the Skyrme-Hartree-Fock (SHF) model for a self-consistent description of nuclear structure and low-energy excitations. A large sample of reliable input data from nuclear bulk properties (energy, radii, surface thickness) is selected guided by the criterion that ground-state correlations should remain small. Least-squares fitting techniques are used to determine the SHF parameters that accommodate best the given input data. The question of the predictive value of the adjustment is scrutinized by performing systematic variations with respect to chosen nuclear matter properties (incompressibility, effective mass, symmetry energy, and sum-rule enhancement factor). We find that the ground-state data, although representing a large sample, leave a broad range of choices, i.e., a broad range of nuclear matter properties. Information from giant resonances is added to pin down more precisely the open features. We then apply the set of newly adjusted parametrizations to several more detailed observables such as neutron skin, isotope shifts, and super-heavy elements. The techniques of least-squares fitting provide safe estimates for the uncertainties of such extrapolations. The systematic variation of forces allows to disentangle the various influences on a given observable and to estimate the predictive value of the SHF model. The results depend very much on the observable under consideration.

We investigate flow in semi-peripheral nuclear collisions at AGS and SPS energies within macroscopic as well as microscopic transport models. The hot and dense zone assumes the shape of an ellipsoid which is tilted by an angle Θ with respect to the beam axis. If matter is close to the softest point of the equation of state, this ellipsoid expands predominantly orthogonal to the direction given by Θ. This antiflow component is responsible for the previously predicted reduction of the directed transverse momentum around the softest point of the equation of state.

Within a relativistic mean-field theory (RMFT) experimental data on the single-particle spectra of lambda hypernuclei are well reproduced. It is shown that the coupling constants cannot be fixed unambiguously from the single-particle spectra. The stability and structure of multi-lambda hypernuclei is explored on the basis of the RMFT using the coupling constants as determined from the observed single lambda hypernuclear levels. It is predicted that multistrange nuclei exhibit an enhanced interaction radius, which further increases in the case of finite temperatures. We suggest that multi-lambda hypernuclei could be produced in high-energy heavy ions and observed in secondary noncharge-changing reactions. The equation of state of lambda matter and the possibility of pure lambda droplets are also discussed.

The spectral distribution of isovector dipole strength is computed using the time-dependent Skyrme-HartreeFock method with subsequent spectral analysis. The calculations are done without any imposed symmetry restriction, allowing any nuclear shape to be dealt with. The scheme is used to study the deformation dependence of giant resonances and its interplay with Landau fragmentation (owing to 1ph states). Results are shown for the chain of Nd isotopes, superdeformed 152 Dy, triaxial 188 Os, and 238 U.

We study a relativistic model of the nucleus consisting of nucleons coupled to mesonic degrees of freedom via an effective Lagrangian whose parameters are determined by a fit to selected nuclear ground-state data. We find that the model allows a very good description of nuclear ground-state properties. Because of the relativistic nature of the modei, the spin properties are uniquely fixed. We discuss variations of the parametrization and of the data which suggest that the present fit has exhausted the limits of the mean-fieid approximation, and discuss extensions which go beyond the mean field.

Absorbing boundary conditions are often employed in time-dependent mean-field calculations to cope with the problem of emitted particles which would otherwise return back onto the system and falsify the dynamical evolution. We scrutinize two widely used methods, imaginary potentials and gradual attenuation by a mask function. To that end, we consider breathing oscillations of a 16 O nucleus computed on a radial onedimensional grid in coordinate space. The most critical test case is the computation of resonance spectra in the ͑linear͒ domain of small amplitude motion. Absorbing bounds turn out to provide a reliable alternative to fully fledged continuum random phase approximation ͑RPA͒ calculations, although rather large absorbing bounds are required to simulate reliably well continuum conditions. We also investigate the computation of observables in the nonlinear domain. This regime turns out to be less demanding. Smaller absorbing margin suffice to achieve the wanted absorption effect.

The nuclear fluid dynamical model with final thermal

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