Nuclear α-particle Condensation and Dynamics of Cluster Formation

Abstract

Nuclear cluster dynamics is reviewed from its historical point of view to a new aspect developed recently. After a great success of the model wave function of α-particle condensation is explained, the picture of α condensation is extended to a general concept of nonlocalized clustering, which is applicable to promisingly all the cluster structures. The competition between the localized and nonlocalized cluster motions is discussed in terms of the inter-cluster Pauli repulsion and dynamical character contained in a new wave function proposed recently. It is also shown that the path of cluster evolution, which is indicated by the Ikeda diagram, can be described by the evolution of a “container”, which traps the constituent clusters in a flexible way.