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A Feynman integral via higher normal functions

High Energy Physics - Theory 2015-12-23 v3 High Energy Physics - Phenomenology Mathematical Physics Algebraic Geometry math.MP

Abstract

We study the Feynman integral for the three-banana graph defined as the scalar two-point self-energy at three-loop order. The Feynman integral is evaluated for all identical internal masses in two space-time dimensions. Two calculations are given for the Feynman integral; one based on an interpretation of the integral as an inhomogeneous solution of a classical Picard-Fuchs differential equation, and the other using arithmetic algebraic geometry, motivic cohomology, and Eisenstein series. Both methods use the rather special fact that the Feynman integral is a family of regulator periods associated to a family of K3 surfaces. We show that the integral is given by a sum of elliptic trilogarithms evaluated at sixth roots of unity. This elliptic trilogarithm value is related to the regulator of a class in the motivic cohomology of the K3 family. We prove a conjecture by David Broadhurst that at a special kinematical point the Feynman integral is given by a critical value of the Hasse-Weil L-function of the K3 surface. This result is shown to be a particular case of Deligne's conjectures relating values of L-functions inside the critical strip to periods.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1406.2664,
  title  = {A Feynman integral via higher normal functions},
  author = {Spencer Bloch and Matt Kerr and Pierre Vanhove},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1406.2664},
  year   = {2015}
}

Comments

Latex. 70 pages. 3 figures. v3: minor changes and clarifications. Version to appear in Compositio Mathematica

R2 v1 2026-06-22T04:35:23.429Z