Evidence for Decays of h_c to Multi-Pion Final States

Using a sample of 2.59 x 10^7$ psi(2S) decays collected by the CLEO--c detector, we present results of a search for the decay chain psi(2S) -> pi^0 h_c, h_c -> n(pi^+ pi^-) pi^0, n=1,2,3. We observe no significant signals for n=1 and n=3 and set upper limits for the corresponding decay rates. First evidence for the decay h_c {o}pi^+ pi^- pi^+ pi^- pi^0 is presented, and a product branching fraction of B(psi(2S) -> h_c) x B(h_c -> 2(pi^+ pi^-) pi^0)=1.88^{+0.48+0.47}_{-0.45-0.30} x 10^{-5} is measured. This result implies that h_c -> $ hadrons and h_c -> gamma eta_c have comparable rates, in agreement with expectations.

Observation of J/psi --> 3 gamma

We report the first observation of the decay J/psi --> 3 gamma. The signal has a statistical significance of 6 sigma and corresponds to a branching fraction of B(J/psi --> 3 gamma) = (1.2 +- 0.3 +- 0.2) x 10^-5, in which the errors are statistical and systematic, respectively. The measurement uses psi(2S) --> pi+ pi- J/psi events acquired with the CLEO-c detector operating at the CESR e+e- collider.