Electromagnetic decay of molecular states

Electromagnetic transitions from deformed structures based on α configurations or on heavier clusters are discussed, drawing the link between multiparticle-multihole excited bands and cluster structures. Enhanced E2 and E1 transitions are reviewed in the light nuclei, 8Be, 10Be, 12C, 16O, 18O and heavier ones like 212Po. Connections between cluster structures and superdeformed configurations in 36Ar and 40Ca are discussed. What the cluster states based on heavier substructures like 12C and 16O are concerned, recent results on the resonant radiative capture reaction 12C(16O,γ)28Si are presented, in particular the strong decay mode involving the feeding of low-lying 28Si 1+ and 2+ T=1 states by enhanced M1 isovector transitions.