Quantum hadrodynamics parametrization: A least-squares fit to nuclear ground-state properties

We study the four meson masses and coupling constants used in quantum hadrodynamics by comparing the relativistic Hartree-Fock calculation with nuclear ground-state properties. Six parameters are determined by least-squares fit to experimental ground-state properties of five spherical nuclei ${}_{}{}^{16}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{O}$, ${}_{}{}^{40}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Ca}$, ${}_{}{}^{48}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Ca}$, ${}_{}{}^{90}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Zr}$, and ${}_{}{}^{208}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Pb}$; these properties are total binding energies, charge radii, and surface thicknesses. This work is compared with an earlier relativistic Hartree least-squares fit. We find that by including exchange terms, the best-fit meson masses are within 3% of their physical values, which is not the case if only direct terms are used. Both calculations reproduce binding energies and radii with an average error around 1%. Hartree-Fock values for the nuclear surface thickness are a substantial improvement (around 15%); however, both calculations consistently produce too small a value.