Exotic cluster structure in light nuclei

Abstract

We discuss the appearance of various cluster structures in light nuclei. One of the examples is the appearance of geometric cluster configurations; gas-like α cluster states found in 12C and 16O could be stabilized with geometric shapes by adding neutrons or giving large angular momentum. We show in 16O that four α particles can have linear configurations with large angular momentum, which is very stable with respect to the bending motion using Skyrme cranked Hartree-Fock method. There exists a region of angular momentum (13-18 ℏ) where the linear chain configuration is stabilized. The calculated moment of inertia (ℏ2/2(-_ ~ 0.06-0.08 MeV) agrees well with conventional cluster model calculations. Another example of exotic cluster structure is the gas-like state of α clusters. The most famous example is the second 0+ state in 12C, the so called Hoyle state, which plays a dominant role in the synthesis of 12C and the heavier elements in the stars. We go one step further that such a dilute state of α particles exists around a strongly bound core in heavier systems. This study is performed by introducing a Monte Carlo technique for the description of the THSR (Tohsaki Horiuchi Schuck Röpke) wave function, and first we apply such method to three α state around a 40Ca core. Furthermore, coupling effect to other low-lying cluster states is taken into account; a large isoscalar monopole (E0) transition strength from the ground to the gas-like state is discussed in 24Mg. The gas-like state of two α clusters in 24Mg around the 16O core appears slightly below the 2α-thresliold energy.