Unipotent extensions and differential equations (after Bloch-Vlasenko)

Abstract

S. Bloch and M. Vlasenko recently introduced a theory of \emph{motivic Gamma functions}, given by periods of the Mellin transform of a geometric variation of Hodge structure, which they tie to the monodromy and asymptotic behavior of certain unipotent extensions of the variation. Here we further examine these Gamma functions and the related \emph{Ap\'ery and Frobenius invariants} of a VHS, and establish a relationship to motivic cohomology and solutions to inhomogeneous Picard-Fuchs equations.