Nuclear multiplets in light odd-odd nuclei and their manifestation in gamma-transitions following thermal neutron capture

The states of odd-odd nuclei with A < 60 which differ in total angular momentum, J, but which have given odd proton and odd neutron momenta, j_p and j_p are considered. The experimental evidence for such nuclear multiplets near the ground state is reviewed. The γ-decay schemes of even-odd (odd neutron) and odd-odd nuclei with A < 60 formed by thermal neutron capture are compared, and the multiplet hypothesis is used to explain some aspects of the γ-transitions in odd-odd nuclei.