Supersymmetry counterterms revisited

Superspace power-counting rules give estimates for the loop order at which divergences can first appear in non-renormalisable supersymmetric field theories. In some cases these estimates can be improved if harmonic superspace, rather than ordinary superspace, is used. The new estimates are in agreement with recent results derived from unitarity calculations for maximally supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories in five and six dimensions. For N = 8 supergravity in four dimensions, we speculate that the onset of divergences may correspondingly occur at the six loop order. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.