The dilogarithm and abelian Chern-Simons (Q6158169)

The \textit{dilogarithm function}, in its simplest form \(\mathrm{Li}_2(z)=\sum_{n=1}^\infty z^n/n^2\), which is defined in \(\{z\in\mathbb{C}\colon |z|<1\}\) and analytically continued to \(\mathbb{C}\setminus[1,\infty)\), has a long history. During the recent decades, the dilogarithm has been playing a significant role in hyperbolic geometry, algebraic \(K\)-theory, conformal field theory, and beyond. As an important variant, the \textit{enhanced Rogers dilogarithm} \begin{align*} L&:\{(u_1,u_2)\in\mathbb{C}^2\colon e^{u_1}+e^{u_2}=1\}\to\mathbb{C}/4\pi^2\mathbb{Z}, \\ z&\mapsto \mathrm{Li}_2(z)+\frac{1}{2}\log(z)\log(1-z) \end{align*} (which is well-defined) is shown in [\textit{J. L. Dupont}, J. Pure Appl. Algebra 44, 137--164 (1987; Zbl 0624.57024)] to be closely related to a Chern-Cheeger-Simons characteristic class of flat \(\mathrm{SL}(2,\mathbb{C})\)-bundles. In the present paper, \(L\) is constructed using spin \textit{Chern-Simons theory} with gauge group \(\mathbb{C}^\times\), which is a symmetric monoidal functor \[\mathrm{Bord}_{\langle 2,3\rangle}(\mathrm{Spin}_3\times(\mathbb{C}^\times)^\nabla)\to s\mathrm{Line}_{\mathbb{C}}.\] Here the domain is the category whose objects are closed spin \(2\)-manifolds \(Y\) equipped with a \(\mathbb{C}^\times\)-connection \(\Theta_Y\), and a morphism \((Y_0,\Theta_0)\to(Y_1,\Theta_1)\) is a compact spin \(3\)-manifold equipped with a \(\mathbb{C}^\times\)-connection; the codomain \(s\mathrm{Line}_{\mathbb{C}}\) is the Picard groupoid of \(\mathbb{Z}/2\mathbb{Z}\)-graded super lines. Subsequently, geometric proofs are given for some standard properties of \(L\), namely, the transformation law under a canonical \(\mathbb{Z}^2\)-action, the reflection identity, and the \(5\)-term relation. These proofs are impressively interesting.