Investigating the variation of elastic alpha scattering cross sections in the a ≈ 100 region

The elastic scattering cross sections for the reactions 110,116Cd(α, α)110,116Cd at energies above and below the Coulomb barrier are measured to provide a sensitive test for the alpha-nucleus optical potential parameter sets. The potentials under study are a basic prerequisite for the prediction of α-induced reaction cross sections, e.g. for the calculation of stellar reaction rates in the astrophysical p- or γ-process. Moreover, the variation of the elastic alpha scattering cross sections along the Z = 48 isotopic and N = 62 isotonic chain is investigated by the study of the ratios of the of 110,116Cd(α, α)110,116Cd scattering cross sections at Ec.m. ≈ 15.6 and 18.8 MeV and the ratio of the 110Cd(α, α)110Cd and 112Sn(α, α)112Sn reaction cross sections at Ec.m. ≈ 18.8 MeV, respectively. These ratios are sensitive probes for the alpha-nucleus optical potential parameterizations.