Updated Implications of the Muon Anomalous Magnetic Moment for Supersymmetry

Abstract

We re-examine the bounds on supersymmetric particle masses in light of the new E821 data on the muon anomalous magnetic moment and the revised theoretical calculations of its hadronic contributions. The current experimental excess is either 1.5 sigma or 3.2 sigma depending on whether e+e- or tau-decay data are used in the theoretical calculations for the leading order hadronic processes. Neither result is compelling evidence for new physics. However, if one interprets the excess as coming from supersymmetry, one can obtain upper mass bounds on many of the particles of the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM). Within this framework we provide a general analysis of the lightest masses as a function of the deviation so that future changes in either experimental data or theoretical calculations can easily be translated into upper bounds at the desired level of statistical significance. In addition, we give specific bounds on sparticle masses in light of the latest experimental and theoretical calculations for the MSSM with universal slepton masses, with and without universal gaugino masses.

Comments: 21 pages, LaTeX, 15 figures. This paper is a major revision of hep-ph/0108122 with theoretical sections left mostly unchanged but with completely new discussions in light of the most recent E821 data and with all new abstract/conclusions. This version is updated to match published version