α clustering and its connection to the E1 response of heavy nuclei

Abstract

The generation of the collective nuclear E1 response is intimately connected to the breaking of proton-neutron symmetry. In this contribution, we present our recent results on a possible α-cluster dipole mode, which were obtained in the framework of the spdf interacting boson model. These extended studies of the low-lying E1 response support the general occurence of α-cluster dipole states in atomic nuclei.