Graphical functions and single-valued multiple polylogarithms (Q2340911)

From the introduction of the paper: ``In four-dimensional \(\Phi^4\) theory the period map assigns positive real numbers to 4-regular internally 6-connected graphs. The periods determine the contributions of primitive logarithmically divergent graphs to the beta function of the underlying quantum field theory.'' Until 2012, all known \(\Phi^4\) periods were multiple zeta values, i.e., rational linear combinations of special values of multiple zeta function: \[ \zeta(n_1,\ldots,n_r):=\sum_{1\leq k_r<k_{r-1}<\ldots<k_1}\frac{1}{k_1^{n_1}k_2^{n_2}\cdots k_r^{n_r}} \] with \(k_i,n_i\) naturals with \(n_1\geq 2\), but at the present these periods will include more general special values. A natural graph in this subject is \(Z_n\), the zig-zag graph with \(n\)-slopes, where there is the famous conjecture which relate its period (up to a rational) to the special value of the Riemann zeta function \(\zeta(s)\) at \(s=2n-3\). In the paper under review, the author constructed the theory of graphical functions which are single-valued complex functions which arise from Feynman amplitudes and obtain their connection with multiple polylogarithms, in order to compute \(\Phi^4\) periods. This theory is applied in the paper under review into some families of \(\Phi^4\) graphs (including the zig-zag graph family \(Z_n\)) and computes the period modulo \(\mathcal{H}^2_{>0}\), (where \(\mathcal{H}^2_{>0}\) denotes the \(\mathbb{Q}\)-vector space spanned by non-trivial products of multiple zeta values (MZV)). In particular, the author, in the paper under review, proves the zig-zag conjecture modulo \(\mathcal{H}^2_{>0}\). The author uses a key result of \textit{D. Zagier} [Ann. Math. (2) 175, No. 2, 977--1000 (2012; Zbl 1268.11121)], which relates certain expressions of MZV at specific special value to the special value of \(\zeta(s)\) at \(s=2n+1\). Moreover, the results on the theory of graphical functions developed in the paper under review, allows \textit{F. Brown} and the author in [``Proof of the zig-zag conjecture'', Preprint, \url{arXiv:1208.1890}] to prove zig-zag conjecture in generality. The author obtains in an algorithmic way the constructible periods by certain constructible families of \(\Phi^4\) graphs, in the paper under review, (which always are related their periods with MZV modulo \(\mathcal{H}^2_{>0}\)). In 2015, the source in Maple of the algorithm is available on tools in the web page of the group of Prof. Dr. Dirk Kreimer.