Using e-e+ to b b(bar) to test properties of new interactions at LEP2 and higher energies

Abstract

We show that in e-e+ colliders at energies above the Z-peak, the process e-e+ to b b(bar) becomes very sensitive to the presence of residual New Physics (NP) effects described by the dim=6 SU(3)*SU(2)*U(1) gauge invariant operators O(qW), O(qB) and O(bB). This observation should be combined with the already known great sensitivity of the light fermion production through e-e+ annihilation above the Z-peak, to the bosonic operators O(DW) and O(DB). It is important to emphasize that the effects of all these operators are largely hidden at the Z-peak; while they are enhanced above it through the use the "Z-peak subtracted representation". The observability limits for detecting these operators at LEP2 and NLC, through such light fermion production processes, are also established.