Relativistic and non-relativistic studies of nuclear matter Original Research Article

We point out that the differences between the results of the non-relativistic lowest order Brueckner theory (LOBT) and the relativistic Dirac–Brueckner analysis predominantly arise from two sources. Besides effects from a nucleon mass modification M∗ in nuclear medium we have in a relativistic treatment the absence of the gap in the hole and particle energy spectra, present in LOBT. In this paper we show that the Brueckner approach, modified by the two effects, generates results quite close to those of Dirac–Brueckner theory.