Geometric Deep Learning and Equivariant Neural Networks

We survey the mathematical foundations of geometric deep learning, focusing on group equivariant and gauge equivariant neural networks. We develop gauge equivariant convolutional neural networks on arbitrary manifolds $mathcal{M}$ using principal bundles with structure group $K$ and equivariant maps between sections of associated vector bundles. We also discuss group equivariant neural networks for homogeneous spaces $mathcal{M}=G/K$, which are instead equivariant with respect to the global symmetry $G$ on $mathcal{M}$. Group equivariant layers can be interpreted as intertwiners between induced representations of $G$, and we show their relation to gauge equivariant convolutional layers. We analyze several applications of this formalism, including semantic segmentation and object detection networks. We also discuss the case of spherical networks in great detail, corresponding to the case $mathcal{M}=S^2=mathrm{SO}(3)/mathrm{SO}(2)$. Here we emphasize the use of Fourier analysis involving Wigner matrices, spherical harmonics and Clebsch-Gordan coefficients for $G=mathrm{SO}(3)$, illustrating the power of representation theory for deep learning.

Modular Graph Forms and Scattering Amplitudes in String Theory

In this thesis, we investigate the low-energy expansion of scattering amplitudes of closed strings at one-loop level (i.e. at genus one) in a ten-dimensional Minkowski background using a special class of functions called modular graph forms. These allow for a systematic evaluation of the low-energy expansion and satisfy many non-trivial algebraic and differential relations. We study these relations in detail, leading to basis decompositions for a large number of modular graph forms which greatly reduce the complexity of the expansions of the integrals appearing in the amplitude. One of the results of this thesis is a Mathematica package which automatizes these simplifications. We use these techniques to compute the leading low-energy orders of the scattering amplitude of four gluons in the heterotic string at one-loop level. Furthermore, we study a generating function which conjecturally contains the torus integrals of all perturbative closed-string theories. We write this generating function in terms of iterated integrals of holomorphic Eisenstein series and use this approach to arrive at a more rigorous characterization of the space of modular graph forms than was possible before. For tree-level string amplitudes, the single-valued map of multiple zeta values maps open-string amplitudes to closed-string amplitudes. The definition of a suitable one-loop generalization, a so-called elliptic single-valued map, is an active area of research and we provide a new perspective on this topic using our generating function of torus integrals. The original version of this thesis, as submitted in June 2020 to the Humboldt University Berlin, is available under the DOI 10.18452/21829. The present text contains minor updates compared to this version, reflecting further developments in the literature, in particular concerning the construction of an elliptic single-valued map.

Towards closed strings as single-valued open strings at genus one

We relate the low-energy expansions of world-sheet integrals in genus-one amplitudes of open- and closed-string states. The respective expansion coefficients are elliptic multiple zeta values in the open-string case and non-holomorphic modular forms dubbed modular graph forms for closed strings. By inspecting the differential equations and degeneration limits of suitable generating series of genus-one integrals, we identify formal substitution rules mapping the elliptic multiple zeta values of open strings to the modular graph forms of closed strings. Based on the properties of these rules, we refer to them as an elliptic single-valued map which generalizes the genus-zero notion of a single-valued map acting on multiple zeta values seen in tree-level relations between the open and closed string.

Basis Decompositions and a Mathematica Package for Modular Graph Forms

Modular graph forms (MGFs) are a class of non-holomorphic modular forms which naturally appear in the low-energy expansion of closed-string genus-one amplitudes and have generated considerable interest from pure mathematicians. MGFs satisfy numerous non-trivial algebraic- and differential relations which have been studied extensively in the literature and lead to significant simplifications. In this paper, we systematically combine these relations to obtain basis decompositions of all two- and three-point MGFs of total modular weight $w+bar{w}leq12$, starting from just two well-known identities for banana graphs. Furthermore, we study previously known relations in the integral representation of MGFs, leading to a new understanding of holomorphic subgraph reduction as Fay identities of Kronecker--Eisenstein series and opening the door towards decomposing divergent graphs. We provide a computer implementation for the manipulation of MGFs in the form of the $texttt{Mathematica}$ package $texttt{ModularGraphForms}$ which includes the basis decompositions obtained.

Generating series of all modular graph forms from iterated Eisenstein integrals

We study generating series of torus integrals that contain all so-called modular graph forms relevant for massless one-loop closed-string amplitudes. By analysing the differential equation of the generating series we construct a solution for its low-energy expansion to all orders in the inverse string tension $alpha$. Our solution is expressed through initial data involving multiple zeta values and certain real-analytic functions of the modular parameter of the torus. These functions are built from real and imaginary parts of holomorphic iterated Eisenstein integrals and should be closely related to Browns recent construction of real-analytic modular forms. We study the properties of our real-analytic objects in detail and give explicit examples to a fixed order in the $alpha$-expansion. In particular, our solution allows for a counting of linearly independent modular graph forms at a given weight, confirming previous partial results and giving predictions for higher, hitherto unexplored weights. It also sheds new light on the topic of uniform transcendentality of the $alpha$-expansion.

All-order differential equations for one-loop closed-string integrals and modular graph forms

We investigate generating functions for the integrals over world-sheet tori appearing in closed-string one-loop amplitudes of bosonic, heterotic and type-II theories. These closed-string integrals are shown to obey homogeneous and linear differential equations in the modular parameter of the torus. We spell out the first-order Cauchy-Riemann and second-order Laplace equations for the generating functions for any number of external states. The low-energy expansion of such torus integrals introduces infinite families of non-holomorphic modular forms known as modular graph forms. Our results generate homogeneous first- and second-order differential equations for arbitrary such modular graph forms and can be viewed as a step towards all-order low-energy expansions of closed-string integrals.

Heterotic-string amplitudes at one loop: modular graph forms and relations to open strings

We investigate one-loop four-point scattering of non-abelian gauge bosons in heterotic string theory and identify new connections with the corresponding open-string amplitude. In the low-energy expansion of the heterotic-string amplitude, the integrals over torus punctures are systematically evaluated in terms of modular graph forms, certain non-holomorphic modular forms. For a specific torus integral, the modular graph forms in the low-energy expansion are related to the elliptic multiple zeta values from the analogous open-string integrations over cylinder boundaries. The detailed correspondence between these modular graph forms and elliptic multiple zeta values supports a recent proposal for an elliptic generalization of the single-valued map at genus zero.

Holomorphic subgraph reduction of higher-point modular graph forms

Modular graph forms are a class of modular covariant functions which appear in the genus-one contribution to the low-energy expansion of closed string scattering amplitudes. Modular graph forms with holomorphic subgraphs enjoy the simplifying property that they may be reduced to sums of products of modular graph forms of strictly lower loop order. In the particular case of dihedral modular graph forms, a closed form expression for this holomorphic subgraph reduction was obtained previously by DHoker and Green. In the current work, we extend these results to trihedral modular graph forms. Doing so involves the identification of a modular covariant regularization scheme for certain conditionally convergent sums over discrete momenta, with some elements of the sum being excluded. The appropriate regularization scheme is identified for any number of exclusions, which in principle allows one to perform holomorphic subgraph reduction of higher-point modular graph forms with arbitrary holomorphic subgraphs.