Linear independence of odd zeta values using Siegel's lemma

Abstract

We prove that among 1 and the odd zeta values $\zeta(3)$, $\zeta(5)$, \ldots, $\zeta(s)$, at least $ 0.21 \sqrt{s}/\sqrt{\log s}$ are linearly independent over the rationals, for any sufficiently large odd integer $s$. This is the first asymptotic improvement on the lower bound, logarithmic in $s$, obtained by Ball-Rivoal in 2001. The proof is based on Siegel's lemma to construct non-explicit linear forms in values at odd integers of the Riemann zeta function, instead of using explicit well-poised hypergeometric series. A new refinement of Siegel's linear independence criterion is applied, together with a multiplicity estimate (namely a generalization of Shidlovsky's lemma). The result is also adapted to deal with values of the first $s$ polylogarithms at a fixed algebraic point in the unit disk, improving bounds of Rivoal and Marcovecchio.