MULTI-(K)over-bar (HYPER)NUCLEI AND KAON CONDENSATION

We report on recent relativistic mean-field calculations of multi-(K) over bar nucle(1,2) which were performed fully and self-sonsistently across the periodic table. The (K) over bar separation enerygy B ((K)) over bar as well as the nuclear and (K) over bar -meson densities were found to saturate with the number of antikaons in the nuclear medium. saturation appears robust against a wide range of variations, including the nuclear model used and the type of boson fields mediating the strong interactions. In addition, we have explored properties of kaonic hypernuclei - strange systems made of nucleons, hyperons and K(-) mesons. We observed saturation also in these objects. Since the (K) over bar separations energy B ((K)) over bar does not exceed 200 Mev, multi-(K) over bar nuclei lie energetically well above multi-hyperonic nuclei and it is unlikely that kaon condensation colud occur in strong-interaction self-bound hadronic matter.