Configuration polynomials under contact equivalence

Abstract

Configuration polynomials generalize the classical Kirchhoff polynomial defined by a graph. Their study sheds light on certain polynomials appearing in Feynman integrands. Contact equivalence provides a way to study the associated configuration hypersurface. In the contact equivalence class of any configuration polynomial we identify a polynomial with minimal number of variables; it is a configuration polynomial. This minimal number is bounded by $r+1\choose 2$, where $r$ is the rank of the underlying matroid. We show that the number of equivalence classes is finite exactly up to rank $3$ and list explicit normal forms for these classes.