  The unbound excited states of the neutron drip-line isotope 24O have been
investigated via the 24O(p,p')23O+n reaction in inverse kinematics at a beam
energy of 62 MeV/nucleon. The decay energy spectrum of 24O* was reconstructed
from the momenta of 23O and the neutron. The spin-parity of the first excited
state, observed at Ex = 4.65 +/- 0.14 MeV, was determined to be Jpi = 2+ from
the angular distribution of the cross section. Higher lying states were also
observed. The quadrupole transition parameter beta2 of the 2+ state was
deduced, for the first time, to be 0.15 +/- 0.04. The relatively high
excitation energy and small beta2 value are indicative of the N = 16 shell
closure in 24O.
