Tensor force is identified in each meson-nucleon coupling in the relativistic Hartree-Fock theory. It is found that all the meson-nucleon couplings, except the σ-scalar one, give rise to the tensor force. The effects of tensor force on various nuclear properties can now be investigated quantitatively, which allows fair and direct comparisons with the corresponding results in the non-relativistic framework. The tensor effects on nuclear binding energies and the evolutions of the Z, N = 8, 20, and 28 magic gaps are studied. The tensor contributions to the binding energies are shown to be tiny in general. The Z, N = 8 and 20 gaps are sensitive to the tensor force, but the Z, N = 28 gaps are not. PACS numbers: 21.30.Fe, 21.10.Pc, 21.60.Jz
I. INTRODUCTIONThe tensor force is one of the most important components of the nucleon-nucleon interaction [1][2][3]. At early stage of nuclear physics, the tensor force was recognized to be responsible for the deuteron binding [4] and electric quadrupole moment [5]. With the advance of radioactive-ion-beam facilities around the world, much progress has been made in the study of the structure of exotic nuclei. From the β-stability valley towards the drip lines, the shell evolution, particularly the disappearance of the traditional magic numbers and the emergence of new ones, is of great interest [6][7][8]. It has been pointed out by Otsuka et al. [9][10][11][12] in the scheme of nuclear shell model that the tensor force plays a critical role in the shell evolution in exotic nuclei.Among the state-of-the-art nuclear methodologies, the nuclear density functional theory (DFT) [13][14][15][16] is the only approach that can cover almost the whole nuclear chart, in particular, the exotic nuclei, now and in the near future. The first study of the role of tensor force in the shell evolution can be traced back 40 years ago [17] in the Hartree-Fock (HF) theory using the Skyrme [18] interaction. However, in that study, minor improvements or even, in some cases, some deteriorations were predicted in the description of singleparticle energies and spin-orbit splittings. Actually, for decades, the tensor force had been neglected in the Skyrme HF theory. In the non-relativistic Gogny HF theory, the tensor force is also not included in the widely used versions [19,20]. The same applies to the relativistic framework. In the widely used relativistic mean-field * haozhao.liang@riken.jp †