MEAN-FIELD DESCRIPTION OF GROUND-STATE PROPERTIES OF DRIP-LINE NUCLEI- PAIRING AND CONTINUUM EFFECTS

Ground-state properties of exotic even-even nuclei with extreme neutro n-to-proton ratios are described in the framework of self-consistent m ean-field theory with pairing formulated in coordinate space. This the ory properly accounts for the influence of the particle continuum, whi ch is particularly important for weakly bound systems. The pairing pro perties of nuclei far from stability are studied with several interact ions emphasizing different aspects, such as the range and density depe ndence of the effective interaction. Measurable consequences of spatia lly extended pairing fields are presented, and the sensitivity of the theoretical predictions to model details is discussed.