Quantum mechanics is the set of laws of physics which, to the best of our knowledge, provides a complete account of the microworld. One of its chap ters, quantum electrodynamics (QED), is able to account for the quantal phenomena of relevance to daily life (electricity, light, liquids and solids, etc.) with great accuracy. The language of QED, field theory, has proved to be uni versal providing the theoretical basis to describe the behaviour of many-body systems. In particular finite many-body systems (FMBS) like atomic nuclei, metal clusters, fullerenes, atomic wires, etc. That is, systems...

In recent years, a new field of nuclear research has been opened through the possibility of studying nuclei wih very large values of angular momentum, temperature, pressure and number of particles. This development has been closely associated with heavy ion reactions, since collisions between two heavy nuclei are especially effective in producing metastable compound systems with large angular momentum, and in transferring energy which is distributed over the whole nuclear volume. Under the strain of temperature and of the Coriolis and centrifugal forces, the nucleus displays structural...