The Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov method implemented with the Gogny-D1S force and used in a systematic study of the even-even $N=16$ isotones from stability to the neutron drip line strongly suggests that a subshell gap, approximately 4 MeV wide, is opening at $N=16$. The first $2^{+}$ levels as well as $B(E2;0_{\mathrm{gs}}^{+}\to 2^{+})$ reduced $E2$ transition probabilities have also been predicted in configuration mixing and standard random phase approximation calculations using D1S. These results compare favorably with experimental information available for the $Z=10–18$ nuclei and with expectations for ${}^{24}\mathrm{O}$ properties. They also fully support our mean-field predictions, namely that $N=16$ is a spherical magic number at the oxygen neutron drip line.

• Received 17 November 2003

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.71.024304