Studies of light neutron-rich nuclei near the drip line

Coulomb breakup of neutron-rich Be, B, C, and O isotopes at relativistic energies (400-600 A MeV) was studied with kinematically complete measurements. The ground-state properties of these nuclei were deduced by comparing experimental data for Coulomb-dissociation cross-sections with direct-breakup model calculations. The dominant ground-state configurations of 15C, 11Be, 14B, and 23O were found to be 14C gs(0+) ⊗ νs,10Be gs(0+) ⊗ νs, 13B gs(3/2+) ⊗ νs,d, and 22O gs(0+) ⊗ νs, respectively, and 16C(2 +) ⊗ νs,d for 17C. The capture cross-section for 14C(n,γ) 15C relevant in astrophysical scenarios was measured indirectly through Coulomb dissociation.