IV.R137 — Alpha-decay as mode cluster ejection

Alpha-decay is the ejection of a completely filled lowest-winding-mode cluster from the parent nucleus: the four nucleons occupying the (0,0) mode on T^2 detach as a unit because their internal binding (B/A ~ 7.1 MeV for He-4) exceeds the residual nuclear attraction, tunneling through the Coulomb barrier.