Reconciling Supersymmetric Grand Unification

We argue that supersymmetric grand unification of gauge couplings is not incompatible with small αs, even without large GUT-scale corrections, if one relaxes a usual universal gaugino mass assumption. A commonly assumed relation M2 ≃ mg̃/3 is in gross contradiction with αs ≈ 0.11. Instead, small αs favors M2 ≫ mg̃. If this is indeed the case our observation casts doubt on another commonly used relation M1 ≃ 0.5M2 which originates from the same constraint of a common gaugino mass at the GUT scale. One firm prediction emerging within the small αs scenario with the unconstrained gaugino masses is the existence of a relatively light gluino below ∼ 200 GeV. E-mail: leszek@mnhepw.hep.umn.edu E-mail: shifman@vx.cis.umn.edu