Indirect determinations of the top quark mass

Abstract

We give a complete analysis of indirect determinations of the top quark mass in the Standard Model by introducing a systematic procedure to identify observables that receive quantum corrections enhanced by powers of $M_t$. We propose to use flavour physics as a tool to extract the top quark mass. Although present data give only a poor determination, we show how future theoretical and experimental progress in flavour physics can lead to an accuracy in $M_t$ well below 2 GeV. We revisit determinations of $M_t$ from electroweak data, showing how an improved measurement of the $W$ mass leads to an accuracy well below 1 GeV.