Spence-Kummer's trilogarithm functional equation and the underlying geometry

Abstract: In the present paper, we investigate the underlying geometry of Spence-Kummer's trilogarithm functional equation. Our geometry determines a certain path system on the projective line minus three points connecting the standard tangential base point to the $9$ variables of $Li_{3}$-terms of the equation, which reflects the symmetry of the so-called non-Fano arrangement. Consequently, we derive a precise form of Spence-Kummer's equation together with its $\ell$-adic Galois analog by using algebraic relations between associators arising from the path system. We apply the tensor-homotopy criteria for functional equations of iterated integrals due to Zagier and Nakamura-Wojtkowiak. To compute the lower degree terms of the associators, we also focus on a diagram of three geometric objects: the moduli space $M_{0,5}$, the complement to the Coxeter arrangement of type ${\rm B_3}$, and the complement to the non-Fano arrangement.