SYSTEMATIC SURVEY OF ALPHA-ALPHA INTERACTION

A systematic survey of the subject of the α-α interaction is made. The early observations of α emission and resulting theoretical descriptions, especially the α-particle model of nuclei, are described, as are more recent α-α scattering experiments. The latter were designed to obtain information about the nature of the α-α interaction and about the energy levels of Be8 by studying the resonance behavior of the phase shifts. The phenomenological approach, i.e., the attempt to construct the α-α potential which reproduces the experimental phase shifts, is described as are detailed theoretical constructions of the repulsive inner part and attactive outer part of the α-α interaction. Studies of how the α-α interaction provides better understanding of the structure of α-clustered nuclei and also of the fundamental forces between the constituents of these nuclei are discussed. Suggestions for the direction of further efforts are made. © 1969 The American Physical Society.