Gauge coupling unification in the exceptional supersymmetric Standard Model

We consider the renormalisation group flow of gauge couplings within the so-called exceptional supersymmetric Standard Model (E₆SSM) based on the low-energy matter content of 27-dimensional representations of the gauge group E₆$E_6$, together with two additional non-Higgs doublets. The two-loop beta functions are computed, and the threshold corrections are studied in the E₆SSM. Our results show that gauge coupling unification in the E₆SSM can be achieved for phenomenologically acceptable values of α₃(MZ)${\alpha }_3(M_Z)$, consistent with the central measured low-energy value, unlike in the minimal supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) which, ignoring the effects of high energy threshold corrections, requires significantly higher values of α₃(MZ)${\alpha }_3(M_Z)$, well above the experimentally measured central value.