Observation of $\eta_c(2S) \to 3(\pi^+\pi^-)$ and measurements of $\chi_{cJ} \to 3(\pi^+\pi^-)$ in $\psi(3686)$ radiative transitions

TL;DR

This paper reports the first observation of the decay $oldsymbol{oldsymbol{ ext{eta}_c(2S) o 3( ext{pi}^+ ext{pi}^-)}$ and measures branching fractions of $oldsymbol{oldsymbol{ ext{chi}_{cJ} o 3( ext{pi}^+ ext{pi}^-)}}$ in $oldsymbol{oldsymbol{ ext{psi}(3686)}}$ radiative transitions, providing new insights into charmonium decays.

Contribution

The study provides the first observation of $ ext{eta}_c(2S) o 3( ext{pi}^+ ext{pi}^-)$ decay and precise measurements of $ ext{chi}_{cJ} o 3( ext{pi}^+ ext{pi}^-)$ branching fractions, expanding understanding of charmonium decay modes.

Findings

Observed $ ext{eta}_c(2S) o 3( ext{pi}^+ ext{pi}^-)$ with 9.3$\sigma$ significance.

Measured $ ext{eta}_c(2S)$ mass and width consistent with world averages.

Determined branching fractions for $ ext{chi}_{cJ} o 3( ext{pi}^+ ext{pi}^-)$ decays.

Abstract

The hadronic decay $\eta_c(2S) \to 3(\pi^+\pi^-)$ is observed with a statistical significance of 9.3 standard deviations using $(448.1\pm2.9)\times10^6$ $\psi(3686)$ events collected by the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider. The measured mass and width of $\eta_c(2S)$ are $(3643.4 \pm 2.3 (\rm stat.) \pm 4.4 (\rm syst.))$ MeV/$c^2$ and $(19.8 \pm 3.9 (\rm stat.) \pm 3.1 (\rm syst.))$ MeV, respectively, which are consistent with the world average values within two standard deviations. The product branching fraction $\mathcal{B}[\psi(3686)\to \gamma \eta_c(2S)]\times\mathcal{B}[\eta_c(2S)\to3(\pi^+\pi^-)]$ is measured to be $(9.2 \pm 1.0 (\rm stat.) \pm 0.9 (\rm syst.))\times10^{-6}$. Using $\mathcal{B}[\psi(3686)\to \gamma \eta_c(2S)]=(7.0^{+3.4}_{-2.5})\times10^{-4}$, we obtain $\mathcal{B}[\eta_c(2S) \to 3(\pi^+\pi^-)] = (1.31 \pm 0.15 (\rm stat.) \pm 0.13 (\rm syst.)(^{+0.64}_{-0.47}) (\rm extr))\times10^{-2}$, where the third uncertainty is from $\mathcal{B}[\psi(3686) \to \gamma \eta_c(2S)]$. We also measure the $\chi_{cJ} \to 3(\pi^+\pi^-)$ ($J=0, 1, 2$) decays via $\psi(3686) \to \gamma \chi_{cJ}$ transitions. The branching fractions are $\mathcal{B}[\chi_{c0} \to 3(\pi^+\pi^-)] = (2.080\pm0.006 (\rm stat.)\pm0.068 (\rm syst.))\times10^{-2}$, $\mathcal{B}[\chi_{c1} \to 3(\pi^+\pi^-)] = (1.092\pm0.004 (\rm stat.)\pm0.035 (\rm syst.))\times10^{-2}$, and $\mathcal{B}[\chi_{c2} \to 3(\pi^+\pi^-)] = (1.565\pm0.005 (\rm stat.)\pm0.048 (\rm syst.))\times10^{-2}$.