Recent antisymmetrized molecular dynamics (AMD) calculations for28 Si suggest the presence of a superdeformed (SD) band with a dominant 24 Mg+α clustering for its configuration, with firm predictions for its location and associated moment of inertia. This motivates a review of the experimental results reported in the literature with a particular focus on 24 Mg(α,γ) studies, as well as on alpha-like heavy-ion transfer reactions such as 12 C( 20 Ne,α) 28 Si. Combining this information for the first time, leads to a set of candidate SD states whose properties point to their alpha-cluster structure and strong associated deformation. Analysis of data from Gammasphere allows the electromagnetic decay of these candidate states to be probed and reveals further supporting evidence for such a structure. This paper appraises this body of information and finds the evidence for an SD band is strong.

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Clustering in nuclei is a long-standing topic in nuclear physics. While it has attracted much experimental and theoretical attention over the years, it is a model which is still controversial in terms of whether such clustering can be clearly delineated and separated from the complexity of nuclear structure described within more conventional nuclear models. In this sense, there is still ambiguity in terms of the uniqueness and relevance of the clustering description. What is often not clearly articulated is what would provide the most compelling evidence for clustering in different contexts. As a means of illustrating these issues, two strands of this topic will be discussed: alpha clustering in light nuclei and clustering in the 12C+12C system. Recent work in these areas will be reviewed and scope for future work will be highlighted.

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