SOFTSUSY: A program for calculating supersymmetric spectra

SOFTSUSY is a program which accurately calculates the spectrum of superparticles in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM). The program solves the renormalisation group equations with theoretical constraints on soft supersymmetry breaking terms provided by the user. Weak-scale gauge coupling and fermion mass data (including one-loop finite MSSM corrections) are used as a boundary condition, as well as successful radiative electroweak symmetry breaking. The program can also calculate a measure of fine-tuning. The program structure has been designed to easily generalize to extensions of the MSSM. This article serves as a self-contained guide to prospective users, and indicates the conventions and approximations used. Sample results are compared with similar calculations in the literature. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.