Abstract
The energy density functional (EDF) is applied to study alpha clustering and alpha scattering in light A = 4m nuclei. Our goal is to study the success of the EDF in predicting the ground-state alpha clustering in 4m-conjugate nuclei. The alpha-cluster density is obtained by optimizing the EDF with the help of the convolution theorem. The obtained cluster density reproduced the experimental binding energy of the considered nuclei. The obtained alpha-cluster densities are investigated through the elastic scattering of alpha particles from C-12, O-16, Ne-24, Mg-24, Si-28, S-32, and Ca-40 in the framework of the optical model. The real part of the optical model potential is calculated using alpha-cluster single folding or the conventional double folding models based on the obtained densities. The obtained potentials are used to analyze the elastic scattering of alpha-particle from (1) C-12, O-16, Ne-24, Mg-24, Si-28, S-32, and Ca-40 at 104 MeV, (2) C-12, Mg-24, and Si-28 at 120 MeV, (3) C-12, O-16, Mg-24, m and Ca-40 at 130 MeV. The obtained results are very satisfactory and in agreement with experimental data. This success indicates the validity and applicability of the EDF in alpha-cluster calculation for A = 4m nuclei.