Alpha cluster condensation in 12C and 16O -: art. no. 192501

A new a-cluster wave function is proposed which is of the a-particle condensate type. Applications to C-12 and O-16 show that states of low density close to the 3 and 4 alpha -particle thresholds in both nuclei are possibly of this kind. It is conjectured that all self-conjugate 4n nuclei may show similar features.