Closed string amplitudes as single-valued open string amplitudes

We show that the single trace heterotic N-point tree-level gauge amplitude ANHET can be obtained from the corresponding type I amplitude ANI by the single-valued (sv) projection: ANHET=sv(ANI). This projection maps multiple zeta values to single-valued multiple zeta values. The latter represent a subclass of multiple zeta values originating from single-valued multiple polylogarithms at unity. Similar relations between open and closed string amplitudes or amplitudes of different string vacua can be established. As a consequence the α′-expansion of a closed string amplitude is dictated by that of the corresponding open string amplitude. The combination of single-valued projections, Kawai–Lewellen–Tye relations and Mellin correspondence reveal a unity of all tree-level open and closed superstring amplitudes together with the maximally supersymmetric Yang–Mills and supergravity theories.