We present predictions of the binding energy per nucleon and the neutron skin thickness in highly neutron-rich isotopes of oxygen, magnesium, and aluminum. The calculations are carried out at and below the neutron drip line as predicted by our model. The nuclear properties are obtained via an energy functional whose input is the equation of state of isospin-asymmetric infinite matter. The latter is based on a microscopic derivation of the energy per particle in neutron matter applying chiral few-nucleon forces together with a phenomenological model for the equation of state of symmetric nuclear matter. We highlight the impact of the neutron matter equation of state at different orders of chiral effective field theory on neutron skins and the binding energy per particle and quantify the uncertainty carried by our predictions.

• Received 9 June 2016
• Revised 3 September 2016

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.94.044311