  We present a microscopic calculation of alpha-cluster formation in heavy
nuclei by using the quartetting wave function approach. The interaction of the
quartet with the core nucleus is taken in local density approximation. The
alpha-cluster formation is found to be particularly sensitive to the interplay
of the mean field felt by the alpha-cluster and the Pauli blocking as a
consequence of antisymmetrization. The striking feature of alpha-cluster
formation probability across the major shell closures of 82 protons and 126
neutrons is reproduced. The shell (or subshell) effects on the alpha-cluster
formation in superheavy nuclei are also analyzed.
