Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

We discuss a phenomenological shell model analysis of the structure of 48 , 49 , 50Ca. Based on simple arguments, we propose wavefunctions fit to the available data on spectroscopic factors derived from direct one neutron addition and removal reactions. These empirical wavefunctions are then used to calculate properties of low-lying states in 49 , 50 , 51Ca, which are consistent with available experimental data. Our analysis appears to capture the main ingredients at play in the low-lying properties of these nuclei and emphasize the prominent role of pairing correlations. We also present predictions that could motivate further work.