RELATIVISTIC MEAN FIELD STUDIES OF SUPERHEAVY NUCLEI

The analysis of quasiparticle spectra in heaviest A ~ 250 nuclei with spectroscopic data provides an additional constraint for the choice of effective interaction for the description of superheavy nuclei. It strongly suggest that within the relativistic mean field (RMF) theory only the parametrizations which predict Z = 120 and N = 172 as shell closures are reliable for superheavy nuclei. The influence of the central depression in the density distribution of spherical superheavy nuclei on the shell structure is studied. Large central depression produces large shell gaps at Z = 120 and N = 172. The shell gaps at Z = 126 and N = 184 are favored by a flat density distribution in the central part of nucleus.