Proposing"b-Parity"- a New Approximate Quantum Number in Inclusive b-jet Production - as an Efficient Probe of New Flavor Physics

We consider the inclusive reaction `+`− → nb+X (n = number of b-jets) in lepton colliders for which we propose a useful approximately conserved quantum number bP = (−1)n that we call b-Parity (bP ). We make the observation that the Standard Model (SM) is essentially bP -even since SM bP -violating signals are necessarily CKM suppressed. In contrast new flavor physics can produce bP = −1 signals whose only significant SM background is due to b-jet misidentification. Thus, we show that b-jet counting, which relies solely on b-tagging, becomes a very simple and sensitive probe of new flavor physics (i.e., of bP -violation). email: shaouly@phyun0.ucr.edu email: jose.wudka@ucr.edu