Counting inclusive b jets as an efficient probe of new flavor physics

We consider the inclusive reaction l(+)l(-) --> nb + X (n = number of b jet s) in lepton colliders for which we propose a useful approximately conserve d quantum number b(P) = (-1)(n) that we call b parity (b(P)). We make the o bservation that the standard model (SM) is essentially b(P) even since SM b (P)-violating signals are necessarily Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa suppressed. produce bp = -1 signals whose only significant SM background ic dire to b- jet misidentification. Thus, in contrast new flavor physics can we show tha t b-jet counting, that relies primarily on b tagging, becomes a very simple and sensitive probe of new flavor physics (i.e., of b(P) violation).