Strong Coupling Running, Gauge Coupling Unification and the Scale of New Physics

The apparent unification of gauge couplings in Grand Unified Theories (GUT) hints at possible Supersymmetric extensions of the Standard Model. In this analysis, the measurements of the strong coupling running from the LHC experiments are combined with a "traditional" gauge coupling unification analysis using data at the Z peak. This approach places powerful constraints on the possible scales of new physics and on the parameters around the unification scale. A supersymmetric analysis without GUT threshold corrections describes the LHC data well and provides perfect unification. For zero or small threshold corrections the favored scales of new physics are in the low TeV range and may well be within LHC reach.