Recent progress in high spin nuclear physics

The aim is to discuss some properties of atomic nuclei in the presence of large angular momentum. The interest in this field has increased recently owing to the progress in the physics of reactions with heavy ions. When the two ions collide, a considerable amount of angular momentum may be transferred to the reaction products leading to nuclear rotation with very high angular velocity. The investigation of nuclear structure at large angular momenta may reveal new features of the nucleus regarded as a quantal system of many particles interacting with strong forces