Modular graph forms from equivariant iterated Eisenstein integrals

Abstract

Abstract The low-energy expansion of closed-string scattering amplitudes at genus one introduces infinite families of non-holomorphic modular forms called modular graph forms. Their differential and number-theoretic properties motivated Brown’s alternative construction of non-holomorphic modular forms in the recent mathematics literature from so-called equivariant iterated Eisenstein integrals. In this work, we provide the first validations beyond depth one of Brown’s conjecture that equivariant iterated Eisenstein integrals contain modular graph forms. Apart from a variety of examples at depth two and three, we spell out the systematics of the dictionary and make certain elements of Brown’s construction fully explicit to all orders.