Coulomb breakup of psd-shell neutron-rich nuclei

Inelastic scattering of loosely bound nuclei by Coulomb interaction at intermediate energies (400-600 MeV/nucleon) has been utilized as a spectroscopic tool for exotic nuclei. The observed electromagnetic dipole (E1) strength above the one neutron threshold of neutron-rich C, Be, B and 0 isotopes can be explained by a non-resonant transition of a neutron into the continuum. The shape of these strength distributions reflects properties of the wavefunction of the released neutron in the nucleus and hence groundstate properties of these isotopes. Neutron capture cross-sections such as for the C-14(n,gamma)C-15 reaction which are of astrophysical relevance can be deduced indirectly.