Mahler measures, K-theory and values of L-functions

Abstract

The Mahler measure of a polynomial $P$ in $n$ variables is defined as the mean of $\log |P|$ over the $n$-dimensional torus. For certain polynomials with integer coefficients in two variables the Mahler measure is known to be related to special values of L-functions of arithmetic objects (e.g. Dirichlet characters and elliptic curves over $\mathbb{Q}$). Inspired by work of Deninger Boyd has investigated this relationship numerically. In this paper we reduce some conjectures of Boyd to Beilinson`s conjectures on special values of L-functions. The methods in use are widely of K-theoretical nature.

English version of authors 1998 PhD thesis (shortened)

Cited by in corpus (1)

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