Elliptic modular graph forms II: Iterated integrals

Authors: Martijn Hidding, Oliver Schlotterer, Bram Verbeek

Preprint number: UUITP-34/22

Abstract: Elliptic modular graph forms (eMGFs) are non-holomorphic modular forms depending on a modular parameter τ of a torus and marked points z thereon. Traditionally, eMGFs are constructed from nested lattice sums over the discrete momenta on the worldsheet torus in closed-string genus-one amplitudes. In this work, we develop methods to translate the lattice-sum realization of eMGFs into iterated integrals over modular parameters τ of the torus with particular focus on cases with one marked point. Such iterated-integral representations manifest algebraic and differential relations among eMGFs and their degeneration limit τ → i∞. From a mathematical point of view, our results yield concrete realizations of single-valued elliptic polylogarithms at arbitrary depth in terms of meromorphic iterated integrals over modular forms and their complex conjugates. The basis dimensions of eMGFs at fixed modular and transcendental weights are derived from a simple counting of iterated integrals and a generalization of Tsunogai's derivation algebra.