Polylogarithms in the field of omega (a root of a given cubic): Functional equations and ladders (Q1101592): Difference between revisions

This paper continues the work of Lewin on polylogarithms and their functional equations. The polylogarithm of order n is defined by \(Li_ n(z)=\sum z^ k/k^ n\). Earlier papers in this series have found linear relations between the values of \(Li_ n\) at certain algebraic points with a very particular structure which is, in a sense, independent of the order. This paper continues the search and exhibits relations which extend to order 9 and contain polylogarithms evaluated at powers of \(\omega\), the root of \(x^ 3+x^ 2-1\) lying between 0 and 1. For the high orders, these contain very large coefficients; at order 9, the calculations required the use of the two-dimensional continued fraction of Szekeres. Some of these relations can be obtained from Kummer's functional equation, but this is only valid up to order 5. The plethora of numerical evidence now available leads the authors to some new functional equations which explain the remaining relations up to order 5. There is no analytic proof of any of the relations for orders greater than 5. The work suggests that there may be further functional equations to be discovered, but that any such equations will be extremely complex.