Window on the Higgs boson: Fourth generation b ' decays reexamined - art. no. 073016

Direct and indirect searches of the Higgs boson suggest that 113 GeV less t han or similar tom(H)less than or similar to 170 GeV is likely. With the CE RN LEP era over and the Fermilab Tevatron run II search via $(p) over bar $ --> WH+X arduous, we reexamine a case where WH or ZH+ jets could arise via strong b'(b) over bar' pair production. In contrast with ten years ago, th e tight electroweak constraint on t'-b' (hence t'-t) splitting reduces FCNC b'--> bZ, bH rates, making b'--> cW naturally competitive. Such a "cocktai l solution" is precisely the mix that could evade the CDF search for b'--> bZ, and the b' may well be lurking below the top quark. In light of the Hig gs program, this two-in-one strategy should be pursued.