Four superdeformed bands, consisting of $\gamma$-ray cascades of up to 15 transitions, have been found in the light rare earth nucleus ${}^{133}$Pr. This is the first observation of multiple superdeformed bands in the $A\approx 130$ mass region. These bands are populated weakly at 0.2%–1% of the reaction channel intensity. The single particle configurations have been identified as $\pi g_{9/2}\left[404\right]{9/2}^{+}$ for bands 1 and 2 and $\pi h_{11/2}\left[532\right]{5/2}^{-}$ for bands 3 and 4. Dipole linking transitions between two superdeformed bands have been observed, branching ratios have been measured, and $B\left(M1\mathrm{}\right)/B\left(E2\mathrm{}\right)$ ratios deduced. A $B\left(M1\mathrm{}\right)$ value for the $\pi g_{9/2}\left[404\right]{9/2}^{+}$ orbital of $(1.7\pm 0.2){\mu }_N^2$ (where ${\mu }_N$ is the nuclear magneton) has been extracted, based on the measured quadrupole moment for the ${}^{132}$Ce core.

• Received 23 December 1993

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.74.1950