On the relativistic foundations of pseudospin symmetry in nuclei

We show that the generators of pseudospin symmetry are the non-relativistic limit of the generators of an SU(2) symmetry which leaves invariant the Dirac Hamiltonian with scalar and vector potentials equal in magnitude but opposite in sign, VV=−VS. Furthermore, within this framework, we demonstrate that this symmetry may be approximately conserved for realistic scalar and vector potentials.