  The d+d->alpha+eta reaction has been investigated near threshold using the
ANKE facility at COSY-Juelich. Both total and differential cross sections have
been measured at two excess energies, Q=2.6 MeV and 7.7 MeV, with a
subthreshold measurement being undertaken at Q=-2.6 MeV to study the physical
background. While consistent with isotropy at the lower energy, the angular
distribution reveals a pronounced anisotropy at the higher one, indicating the
presence of higher partial waves. Options for the decomposition into partial
amplitudes and their consequences for determination of the s-wave eta-alpha
scattering length are discussed.
