The Stieltjes Bootstrap for Feynman Integrals

Abstract

We prove that scalar Feynman integrals are Stieltjes functions in each kinematic variable $-p_i\cdot p_j$, as well as in the particle masses, for arbitrary loop order, arbitrary numbers of external legs, and arbitrary internal masses, whenever a certain exponent condition is satisfied. The proof rests on a canonical decomposition of the second Symanzik polynomial with manifestly non-negative coefficients indexed by spanning two-forests. We present a dedicated analysis of the case in which the kinematic variables satisfy relations, as frequently happens in physical applications. We argue that integration-by-parts relations allow the selection of master-integral bases in which every element is a Stieltjes function. The Stieltjes property guarantees the convergence of Padé approximants and provides determinantal (Hankel) constraints on the Taylor coefficients of master integrals that go beyond previously known complete-monotonicity bounds. We develop a numerical strategy that combines these Stieltjes constraints with differential equations to determine the master integrals in the Euclidean region via semidefinite optimization. We demonstrate this approach on the pedagogical example of the six-dimensional massive box integral, and then apply it to the calculation of previously unknown three-loop two-mass integrals needed for three-loop electroweak corrections to the $Z$- and Higgs-boson self-energies.