The properties of hot matter are studied in the frame of the relativistic Brueckner-Hartee-Fock theory. The equations are solved self-consistently in the full Dirac space. For the interaction we used the potentials given by Brockmann and Machleidt. The obtained critical temperatures are smaller than in most of the nonrelativistic investigations. We also calculated the thermodynamic properties of hot matter in the relativistic Hartree-Fock approximation, where the force parameters were adjusted to the outcome of the relativistic Brueckner-Hartree-Fock calculations at zero temperature. Here, one obtains higher critical temperatures, which are comparable with other relativistic calculations in the Hartree scheme.

• Received 21 October 1997

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.57.3484