Surface incompressibility of semi-infinite nuclear matter via constrained Hartree-Fock calculations

With a view to calculating the incompressibility (ddot sigma ) of the nuclear surface, we develop a constrained Hartree-Fock treatment of semi-infinite nuclear matter. Our approach leads first to a proof of the “ (dot sigma = 0) ” theorem of Myers and Swiatecki, and then to a corroboration of a simple expression for (ddot sigma ) , previously obtained in an intuitive way by Stocker. This expression is used to calculate (ddot sigma ) for theS3, SkM and Gogny forces. The results are significantly different from those of a scaled HF calculation, but in very good agreement with the values of (ddot sigma ) that are implied by RPA calculations of the breathing mode in various finite nuclei.