It is our intention in this volume to describe in an elementary way some of the achievements of the nuclear shell model, especially in its form used for deformed nuclei and rotating nuclei. In recent applications on nuclear deformation, fission and rotation, the microscopic shell model is merged with macroscopic models, which are thus also briefly discussed here. We try to concentrate on physical features rather than theoretical methods, not introducing more sophisticated models than are needed to understand the basic principles.

We have tried to put the presentation on such a level that the book should be suitable as a first course in theoretical nuclear physics. The reader is supposed to be familiar with the very basic concepts of experimental nuclear physics and to have some knowledge of quantum mechanics including central forces and angular momentum, the spin formalism and some perturbation theory. We also believe that this volume should be useful for people doing research in nuclear physics, not least for experimentalists.

The introductory chapter defines in a very elementary way the building blocks of nuclei, how these building blocks are held together and how nuclei might decay. It then also becomes natural to discuss the boundaries of nuclear stability and the abundancy of different nuclei.

The subjects of the three following chapters relate to the macroscopic properties of nuclei. The size and average matter distribution of nuclei are discussed in chapter 2. The semi-empirical mass formula is introduced in chapter 3 and the liquid-drop model of nuclear deformation and fission is treated in chapter 4.