Very neutron-rich isotopes of elements with 6 ≤ Z ≤ 10

The present paper reviews the properties of the neutron-rich isotopes of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, fluorine, and neon. The changes in nuclear structure when receding from the beta-stability line are discussed in detail. Information is presented on the mass (hence, on the separation energy of nucleons and on nuclear stability), the radii of nucleon distributions, the momentum distributions of fragments from the breakup of neutron-rich nuclei, the possibility of halo formation, as well as on the deformation and quantum characteristics of the ground states of various isotopes. The position of the neutron drip line and the problems of stability of neutron-rich nuclides with Z greater than or equal to 6 are considered in connection with the weakening or even vanishing of shell effects at magic numbers 20 and 28, while a new neutron magic number was discovered at N = 16.