Probing clustering in excited alpha-conjugate nuclei

The fragmentation of quasi-projectiles from the nuclear reaction 40Ca+12C at 25 MeV per nucleon bombarding energy was used to produce α-emission sources. From a careful selection of these sources provided by a complete detection and from comparisons with models of sequential and simultaneous decays, evidence in favor of α-particle clustering from excited 16O, 20Ne and 24Mg is reported.