\(p\)-adic multiple zeta values. I: \(p\)-adic multiple polylogarithms and the \(p\)-adic KZ equation (Q1879013)

This is a highly interesting paper which gives a foundation of the theory of \(p\)-adic multiple zeta values. The author introduces analytically continued \(p\)-adic multiple polylogarithms by employing Coleman's \(p\)-adic iterated integration theory and defining \(p\)-adic multiple zeta values to be their limit values at \(1\). He also considers the \(p\)-adic KZ equation and introduces the \(p\)-adic Drinfeld associator as a ratio of its two fundamental solutions. The coefficients of a certain fundamental solution are shown to be expressed in terms of \(p\)-adic multiple polylogarithms and the \(p\)-adic logarithm, and those of the \(p\)-adic Drinfeld associator are shown to be expressed in terms of \(p\)-adic multiple zeta values as in the complex case. The author then shows various interesting properties, which are sometimes analogous to the complex case and are sometimes peculiar to the \(p\)-adic case, via the \(p\)-adic KZ equation.