Dyson-Schwinger equations are integral equations in quantum field theory that describe the Green functions of a theory and mirror the recursive decomposition of Feynman diagrams into subdiagrams. Taken as recursive equations, the Dyson-Schwinger equations describe perturbative quantum field theory. However, they also contain non-perturbative information. Using the Hopf algebra of Feynman graphs the author follows a sequence of reductions to convert the Dyson-Schwinger equations to a new system of differential equations.

This book explores combinatorial problems and insights in quantum field theory. It is not comprehensive, but rather takes a tour, shaped by the author’s biases, through some of the important ways that a combinatorial perspective can be brought to bear on quantum field theory. Among the outcomes are both physical insights and interesting mathematics. The book begins by thinking of perturbative expansions as kinds of generating functions and then introduces renormalization Hopf algebras. The remainder is broken into two parts. The first part looks at Dyson-Schwinger equations, stepping gradually from the purely combinatorial to the more physical. The second part looks at Feynman graphs and their periods. The flavour of the book will appeal to mathematicians with a combinatorics background as well as mathematical physicists and other mathematicians.

This volume contains the proceedings of the International Research Workshop on Periods and Motives--A Modern Perspective on Renormalization, held from July 2-6, 2012, at the Instituto de Ciencias Matemáticas, Madrid, Spain. Feynman amplitudes are integrals attached to Feynman diagrams by means of Feynman rules. They form a central part of perturbative quantum field theory, where they appear as coefficients of power series expansions of probability amplitudes for physical processes. The efficient computation of Feynman amplitudes is pivotal for theoretical predictions in particle physics. Periods are numbers computed as integrals of algebraic differential forms over topological cycles on algebraic varieties. The term originated from the period of a periodic elliptic function, which can be computed as an elliptic integral. Motives emerged from Grothendieck's "universal cohomology theory", where they describe an intermediate step between algebraic varieties and their linear invariants (cohomology). The theory of motives provides a conceptual framework for the study of periods. In recent work, a beautiful relation between Feynman amplitudes, motives and periods has emerged. The articles provide an exciting panoramic view on recent developments in this fascinating and fruitful interaction between pure mathematics and modern theoretical physics.

The book focuses on advanced computer algebra methods and special functions that have striking applications in the context of quantum field theory. It presents the state of the art and new methods for (infinite) multiple sums, multiple integrals, in particular Feynman integrals, difference and differential equations in the format of survey articles. The presented techniques emerge from interdisciplinary fields: mathematics, computer science and theoretical physics; the articles are written by mathematicians and physicists with the goal that both groups can learn from the other field, including most recent developments. Besides that, the collection of articles also serves as an up-to-date handbook of available algorithms/software that are commonly used or might be useful in the fields of mathematics, physics or other sciences.

This paper deals with elliptic equations in the plane with degeneracies. The equations are generated by a complex vector field that is elliptic everywhere except along a simple closed curve. Kernels for these equations are constructed. Properties of solutions, in a neighborhood of the degeneracy curve, are obtained through integral and series representations. An application to a second order elliptic equation with a punctual singularity is given.

"November 2012, volume 220, number 1035 (third of 4 numbers)."