Mapping Dirac--Hartree--Fock approach onto relativistic mean field model.

The exchange part of energy density of the linear Dirac--Hartree--Fock (DHF) model in symmetric nuclear matter is evaluated in a parameter--free closed form and expressed as density functional. After the rearranging terms the relativistic mean-field approach with density-dependent couplings may be recovered with density dependence coming from the Fock exchange. The formalism developed, is then extended to the nonlinear DHF approximation with field self-couplings allowed. The nonlinear self--interactions result in essential density dependence (medium modification) of effective couplings that are decoupled from the Fock ones.