Nonrenormalizable couplings in supergravity-coupled supersymmetric theories can give rise to power-law divergences that destabilize the weak-scale hierarchy. For the case of the standard-model gauge group, the problem can arise in theories with SU(3)×SU(2)×U(1) gauge-singlet chiral superfluids. The minimal supersymmetric standard model is free from such destabilizing divergences.

• Received 17 September 1993

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.71.2380