Covariant density functional theory, in the framework of self-consistent relativistic mean field (RMF) and relativistic random-phase approximation (RRPA), is for the first time applied to axially deformed nuclei. The fully self-consistent RMF+RRPA equations are posed for the case of axial symmetry and nonlinear energy functionals and solved with the help of a new parallel code. Formal properties of RPA theory are studied and special care is taken to validate the proper decoupling of spurious modes and their influence on the physical response. Sample applications to the magnetic and electric dipole transitions in ${}^{20}\mathrm{Ne}$ are presented and analyzed.

• Received 15 November 2007

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.77.034317