Elastic scattering, fusion, and breakup of light exotic nuclei

The present status of fusion reactions involving light (A< 20) radioactive projectiles at energies around the Coulomb barrier (E<10 MeV per nucleon) is reviewed, emphasizing measurements made within the last decade. Data on elastic scattering (providing total reaction cross section information) and breakup channels for the involved systems, demonstrating the relationship between these and the fusion channel, are also reviewed. Similarities and differences in the behavior of fusion and total reaction cross section data concerning halo nuclei, weakly-bound but less exotic projectiles, and strongly-bound systems are discussed. One difference in the behavior of fusion excitation functions near the Coulomb barrier seems to emerge between neutron-halo and proton-halo systems. The role of charge has been investigated by comparing the fusion excitation functions, properly scaled, for different neutron- and proton-rich systems. Possible physical explanations for the observed differences are also reviewed. (orig.)