Using $\psi(3686)\rightarrow \pi^{ 0} h_{ c}$ decays from a data sample of $(27.12\pm0.14)\times10^{ 8}$ $\psi(3686)$ events collected by the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider, $h_c$ radiative decays to $\gamma\pi^{ +}\pi^{ -},~\gamma\pi^{ +}\pi^{ -}\eta,~\gamma2(\pi^{ +}\pi^{ -})$, and $\gamma p\bar{ p}$ are observed for the first time, each with a significance greater than $5\sigma$. The corresponding branching fractions are measured. Furthermore, intermediate states below 2.8 GeV/$c^{ 2}$ are investigated, leading to the first observation of the decay process of $h_c\rightarrow\gamma f_{ 2}(1270)\rightarrow\gamma\pi^{ +}\pi^{ -}$ with a significance of $5.5\,\sigma$. This observation represents the first instance of $h_c$ radiative decay to a tensor state.
Categories: hep-ex