Leading Electroweak Two-Loop Corrections to Precision Observables in the MSSM

Abstract

The leading electroweak MSSM two-loop corrections to the electroweak precision observables are calculated. They are obtained by evaluating the two-loop O(\alpha_t^2), O(\alpha_t \alpha_b), O(\alpha_b^2) contributions to the quantity \Delta\rho in the limit of heavy scalar quarks, i.e. we consider the contributions of a Two-Higgs-Doublet model with MSSM restrictions. The full analytic result for arbitrary values of the lightest CP-even Higgs boson mass is presented. The numerical effects of the leading electroweak MSSM two-loop corrections on the precision observables M_W and sin^2(theta_eff) are analyzed. The electroweak two-loop contribution to M_W amounts up to -12 MeV and up to +6 10^-5 for sin^2(theta_eff). The corrections from the bottom quark loops can become important for large values of tan beta. They enter with a different sign than the O(\alpha_t^2) corrections. We furthermore investigate the current sensitivity of the electroweak precision observables to the top Yukawa coupling in the SM and the MSSM. The prospects for indirectly determining this coupling at the next generation of colliders are discussed.