A simple dynamical model is used to calculate the partial rates for various decay modes of charmed pseudoscalar and vector mesons. Our results together with the presently available data lend support to the hypothesis that the lowest-lying charmed particles are vector mesons. It is suggested that the multiparticle state $K^{-}{\pi }^{+}{\pi }^{-}{\pi }^{+}$ should be produced fairly copiously in charmed-vector-meson decays, which could offer a fruitful way of identifying charm.

• Received 8 March 1976

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.36.1287