Lowest-energy broad α -cluster resonances in F 19

There is a deep astrophysical interest in the structure of F19 states close to the α-decay threshold. The nuclear structure of these states is important for understanding of the development of α clustering in the Ne20 region. Emergence of clustered states, and generally states that favor coupling to reaction channels near the corresponding decay thresholds, is currently of special interest in theoretical physics. We specify the parameters of broad low spin states in F19 near the α-decay threshold and present a theoretical study of these states. The study is limited to ℓ=0 and 1 relative partial wave resonances in the α+N15 interaction close to the α-decay threshold in F19. Excitation function for N15(α,α) elastic scattering was measured by the TTIK method. These new data together with the old, high-energy resolution data, were analyzed using the R matrix approach. F19 nuclear structure was calculated using configuration interaction methods with the recently developed effective interaction Hamiltonian. As a result, in this work we identify a series of α clustering resonances in F19 and assess the distribution of the clustering strength, which is of importance to questions of astrophysics and for theoretical understanding of many-body physics and emergence of clustering in loosely bound or unstable nuclei. Progress has been made in theoretical understanding of the origins of clustering and questions for future theoretical and experimental research are identified.