Atomic effects on α-α scattering to the 8Be ground state

The α-α scattering to the 8Be ground state was investigated in kinematic coincidence for the angle pairs 45‡/45‡ and 30‡/60‡ using the crossing beams technique, with an energy resolution of 26 eV. The nuclear resonance is split into 2 structures, not the 3 structures suggested by earlier work. The atomic physics origin of the splitting, the resonance parameters of the 8Be ground state, and astrophysical implications are discussed.