Feynman identity for planar graphs

Abstract: The Feynman identity (FI) of a planar graph relates the Euler polynomial of the graph to an infinite product over the equivalence classes of closed nonperiodic signed cycles in the graph. The main objectives of this paper are to compute the number of equivalence classes of nonperiodic cycles of given length and sign in a planar graph and to interpret the data encoded by the FI in the context of free Lie superalgebras. This solves in the case of planar graphs a problem first raised by S. Sherman and sets the FI as the denominator identity of a free Lie superalgebra generated from a graph. Other results are obtained. For instance, in connection with zeta functions of graphs.