Alpha Cluster Structure and Exotic States in a Self-Consistent Model for Light Nuclei

In this paper we examine to what extent traces of alpha-clustering can be found in mean-field ground states of $n\alpha$-nuclei from Be8 through Ar36 as well as in some superdeformed states in S32, Ar36, and Ca40. For this purpose we calculate the overlap of the mean-field Slater determinant with one containg pure Gaussians and perfect spin and isospin symmetry, optimizing the overlap by varying the alpha-particle positions and radii. In some cases a coherent sum over different configurations is also employed. We find quite large overlaps for some of the lighter systems that diminish for nuclei above Ne20 but again strong clustering in Ar36.