Local Potential Description of Elastic Scattering and of Cluster Structure in Light Nuclei

Abstract

The aim of this talk is to survey the progress made these last ten years in the understanding of the anomalous large angle scattering seen in low energy α-particle elastic scattering from some light nuclei. Emphasis will be laid on the relation of the deduced optical potentials to the present microscopic understanding of the nucleus-nucleus interaction, and on how these potentials can be used to clarify the α-cluster structure of the unified system. We will also briefly comment on the coexistence of deep and shallow potential descriptions of elastic scattering, the energy behaviour of the optical potential at low energy, the possible parity dependence of the interaction, and the effects of the deformation of the core. Finally we will present an example of the extension of these ideas to light heavy ion systems.