Rhin integrals (Q2460532)

At an Oberwolfach meeting in 2003, G.~Rhin presented the integrals \[ I_m(n)=\int_0^1z^t(1-z)^n\biggl(\int_0^1\frac{x^n(1-x)^n}{(1-zx)^{n+1}}\,dx\biggr)^{m-1}\,dz, \] where \(t=n\) for \(m=2\) and \(t=(m-2)(2n+1)\) for \(m\geq3\). He observed that the integrals lie in \(\mathbb Q\zeta(m)+\mathbb Q\), in other words, they produce rational approximations to the values of Riemann's zeta function at positive integers; in the special case \(m=3\) the approximations coincide with those of R.~Apéry to~\(\zeta(3)\) [\textit{A.~van der Poorten}, Math. Intell. 1, 195--203 (1979; Zbl 0409.10028)]. The article under review not only provides a proof for these observations but also gives an account of more general Rhin-type integrals with their explicit decomposition into the so-called multiple zeta values.