Linear independence of odd zeta values using Siegel's lemma

Abstract: We prove that among 1 and the odd zeta values $\zeta(3)$, $\zeta(5)$, ..., $\zeta(s)$, at least $ 0.21 \sqrt{s / \log s}$ are linearly independent over the rationals, for any sufficiently large odd integer $s$. This improves on the lower bound $(1-\varepsilon) \log s / (1+\log 2)$ obtained by Ball-Rivoal in 2001. Up to the numerical constant $0.21$, it gives as a corollary a new proof of the lower bound on the number of irrationals in this family proved in 2020 by Lai-Yu. The proof is based on Siegel's lemma to construct non-explicit linear forms in odd zeta values, instead of using explicit well-poised hypergeometric series. Siegel's linear independence criterion (instead of Nesterenko's) is applied, 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.