The model of an α cluster orbiting a closed shell core provides a highly successful description of low lying bound and resonant states of ${}_{}{}^{20}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Ne}$ and has been successfully extended to ${}_{}{}^{44}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Ti}$ by various authors. This description is closely related to α scattering from the relevant closed shell core, and although the scattering has previously been reasonably well reproduced with a local optical model potential, few attempts have been made to link the two phenomena. In this paper, a universal α-core interaction is given which describes the spectra, B(E2↓) transition strengths, α-decay widths, and differential elastic scattering cross sections for the systems corresponding to ${}_{}{}^{20}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Ne}$${=}^{16}$O+α and ${}_{}{}^{44}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Ti}$${=}^{40}$Ca+α. This potential has only a single free parameter, the radius, whose value is kept fixed for each nucleus.

• Received 20 March 1995

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.52.1840