“…A deformed ground state of 44 S is indicated by β-decay studies [10,11], and the excitation strength of the 2 + 1 state of B(E2; 0 + g.s. → 2 + 1 ) = 314(88) e 2 fm 4 measured via Coulomb excitation [12] of 44 S is not significantly below those of the neighboring sulfur isotopes 40,42 S. However, in 46 Ar, the excitation strength B(E2; 0 + g.s. → 2 + 1 ) = 218(31) e 2 fm 4 of the 2 + 1 state, measured via Coulomb excitation [13], is significantly lower than that of the 2 + 1 states of the neighboring neutron-rich argon isotopes 40,42,44 Ar, all of which have values above 300 e 2 fm 4 [14,15].…”