Multiple superdeformed rotational bands have been identified in a nucleus for the first time. Cascades of 14, 13, and 11 transitions have been assigned to three bands in ${}_{}{}^{153}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Dy}$. Despite the small intensities, it has been possible to follow the decay of these bands from an angular frequency of 0.7 down to 0.4 MeV/ħ. In all three cases, the dynamic moment of inertia ${\mathrm{scrI}}^{\mathrm{}\left(2\right)\mathrm{}}$ is nearly constant. Assignments to high-N intruder orbitals are suggested through comparison of these values of ${\mathrm{scrI}}^{\mathrm{}\left(2\right)\mathrm{}}$ with theoretical calculations based on the cranked shell model.

• Received 7 August 1989

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.63.2200