Recent Developments in Nuclear Cluster Physics

Abstract

Recent developments of physics of nuclear clustering are discussed. Our discussions are mostly focussed on structural problems because the characteristic feature of the recent trends is just the remarkable developments in the various problems of structure physics. Representative subjects we discuss are (i) novel cluster structure in neutron-rich nuclei, (ii) cluster gas states, (iii) molecular states and superdeformation, (iv) coexistence mechanism of cluster and mean-field-type states, (v) cluster structure in unbound energy region, and (vi) ab initio theoretical approach to cluster structure. Various new phenomena and systems of clustering which we discuss in this paper imply the basic importance of clustering dynamics in nuclear many-body systems, which is nothing but the manifestation of the richness of nuclear many-body systems.