Polylogarithms, Multiple Zeta Values and Superstring Amplitudes

Abstract

A formalism is provided to calculate tree amplitudes in open superstring theory for any multiplicity at any order in the inverse string tension. We point out that the underlying world-sheet disk integrals share substantial properties with color-ordered tree amplitudes in Yang-Mills field theories. In particular, we closely relate world-sheet integrands of open-string tree amplitudes to the Kawai-Lewellen-Tye representation of supergravity amplitudes. This correspondence helps to reduce the singular parts of world-sheet disk integrals -including their string corrections- to lower-point results. The remaining regular parts are systematically addressed by polylogarithm manipulations.

Comments: 79 pages, LaTeX; v2: final version to appear in Fortschritte der Physik; for additional material, see: http://mzv.mpp.mpg.de