Poisson equation for the three loop ladder diagram in string theory at genus one

Abstract

The three loop ladder diagram is a graph with six links and four cubic vertices that contributes to the D^{12} R^4 amplitude at genus one in type II string theory. The vertices represent the insertion points of vertex operators on the toroidal worldsheet and the links represent scalar Green functions connecting them. By using the properties of the Green function and manipulating the various expressions, we obtain a modular invariant Poisson equation satisfied by this diagram, with source terms involving one, two and three loop diagrams. Unlike the source terms in the Poisson equations for diagrams at lower orders in the momentum expansion or the Mercedes diagram, a particular source term involves a five point function containing a holomorphic and a antiholomorphic worldsheet derivative acting on different Green functions. We also obtain simple equalities between topologically distinct diagrams, and consider some elementary examples.