Abstracts

Francisco Alcaraz
Free fermion branches in some quantum spin models

Extensive numerical analysis of the eigenspectra of the $SU_q(N)$ invariant Perk-Schultz Hamiltonian shows some simple regularities for a significant part of the eigenspectrum. Inspired by those results we have found two set of solutions of the associated nested Bethe-ansatz equations. The first set is obtained at a special value of the anisotropy ($q = \exp(i2\pi (N-1)/N)$) and describes in particular the ground state and nearby excitations as a sum of free-fermion quasienergies. The second set of solutions provides the energies in the sectors whose number $n_i$ of particles of distinct species ($i=0, \ldots, N-1$) are less or equal to the unity except for one of the species. For this last set we obtain the eigenspectra of a free fermion model for arbitrary values of the anisotropy.

Cyril Banderier
The Airy phenomena in analytic combinatorics

A considerable number of asymptotic distributions arising in random combinatorics and analysis of algorithms are of the exponential-quadratic type, that is, Gaussian. In a joint work with Ph. Flajolet, G. Schaeffer, and M. Soria, we exhibit a class of ``universal'' phenomena that are of the exponential-cubic type, corresponding to distributions that involve the Airy function. Such Airy phenomena are related to the coalescence of saddle points and the confluence of singularities of generating functions.

We established that a common Airy distribution (equivalently, a stable law of exponent $3/2$, sometimes also called Holtsmark distribution) describes the size of the largest (multi)connected components of about a dozen types of random planar maps and seems also to be fundamental for distribution functions of random matrix theory It also appears in the Seppalainen-Johansson model (~the oriented digital boiling model of Gravner/Tracy/Widom).

Based on an extension of the singularity analysis framework suggested by the Airy case, we present a general classification of compositional schemas in analytic combinatorics.

Murray Batchelor
The XXZ/O(n) loop model Hamiltonians and combinatorics

I'll review the way in which the well known combinatorial numbers associated with alternating sign matrices and their cousins have arisen in the groundstate properties of the XXZ and O(n) loop model hamiltonians. I'll also discuss the related Bethe Ansatz equations and some attempts at proving the various conjectures.

Giovanni Feverati
Physical Combinatorics: Fermionic Paths and Virasoro Algebra I

We consider minimal theories of CFT from a lattice combinatorial perspective. To each allowed one-dimensional configuration path of the $A_L$ Restricted Solid-on-Solid (RSOS) models we associate a physical state and a monomial in a finite fermionic algebra. The orthonormal states produced by the action of these monomials on the primary states $|h\rangle$ generate finite Verma modules with dimensions given by the finitized Virasoro characters $\chi^{(N)}_h(q)$. These finitized characters are the generating functions for the double row transfer matrix spectra of the critical RSOS models. We argue that an energy preserving bijection exists between the one-dimensional configuration paths and eigenstates of these transfer matrices. We also propose a general algorithm to obtain matrix representations of the Virasoro generators and primary fields in a fermionic basis and illustrate it for the critical Ising, tricritical Ising, 3-state Potts and Yang-Lee theories.

Peter Forrester
Maximum increasing subsequences and non-intersecting paths.

Recently a new class of solvable directed percolation models have been uncovered, which have close ties with combinatorics through non-intersecting lattice paths and the Robinson-Schensted-Knuth correspondence. These models also have close ties with random matrices. Some details of these inter-relationships will be given, and their consequences discussed.

Tony Guttmann
Scaling theory for Ising and SAW models

I will briefly describe standard scaling theory, and discuss recent work on the susceptibility of the two-dimensional Ising model, and on the perimeter-area generating function of the two-dimensional self-avoiding walk model, with a view to elucidating their scaling behaviour.
I will also show how the theory of generalised lattice-lattice scaling can be used to extend the Ising susceptibility results to other lattices.

Nikolai Kitanine
Correlation functions of the XXZ chain and alternating sign matrices

In this talk I give a brief description of a method of calculation of the correlation functions of the XXZ model, based on the algebraic Bethe ansatz. Using this method for a special case of the XXZ model with $\Delta=1/2$ one can calculate some correlation functions, such as emptiness formation probability, explicitely. It can be shown that this function can be expressed in terms of the corresponding number of alternating sign matrices.

Christian Krattenthaler
Enumeration of rhombus tilings and determinant evaluations

I shall present the recent results on rhombus tiling enumeration which I have obtained with several coworkers (M. Ciucu, T. Eisenk\"olbl, M. Fulmek, D. Zare). This includes results on the number of rhombus tilings of a hexagon which contain a fixed rhombus, and results on the number of rhombus tilings of incomplete hexagons. Typically, the solution of such problems requires to evaluate some determinant. I shall explain how I go about to accomplish the evaluation of such determinants.

Jim McGuire
Determinants in Delta Interaction

If the state function of a system in delta interaction is expressed as the determinant of a square matrix the algebraic properties of the determinant make symmetry properties of the state function transparent. These algebraic properties are topological in nature, and can only be exploited for delta interaction on a ring. The state function for scattering on a line, for example, cannot be expressed as a determinant in all regions of state space. The determinant form leads to a form of separation and very simple spectral properties.

Soichi Okada
Alternating sign matrices, square ice models and characters of classical groups.

G. Kuperberg uses square ice models to enumerate several symmetry classes of alternating sign matrices. His main tool is a set of determinant and Pfaffian formulas for the partition functions of square ice models. In this talk, I will show that these partition functions are written as irreducible characters of classical groups. And I enumerate VHSASM (vertically and horizontally symmetric ASMs) of odd size.

Paul Pearce
Physical Combinatorics: Fermionic Paths and Virasoro Algebra II

For abstract see Giovanni Feverati

Jim Propp (telephone lecture)
Integrability, Exact Solvability, and Algebraic Combinatorics: A Three-Way Bridge?

The discrete Hirota equation plays an important role in the theory of integrable systems, but it also lurks incognito in classical algebra and combinatorics. By discussing the particular case of Dodgson condensation and domino tilings of Aztec diamonds, I hope to indicate how the Hirota equation may point towards a host of exactly solvable two-dimensional lattice models.

David Wilson
A new theory of conformally invariant fractals: SLE and its connection to combinatorics

Consider random walk on a very fine grid in the plane. As the grid size tends to zero, the random walk converges to a process (Brownian motion) that is rotationally invariant, and which is also invariant under conformal maps. Other random processes on the 2D grid also converge to conformally invariant limits, but until recently this convergence was known only non-rigorously. In this talk we present the SLE process that was introduced by Schramm, and subsequent work of Lawler, Schramm, Werner, Smirnov, and Rohde that relates SLE to different random combinatorial objects such as loop-erased random walk (SLE(2)), Brownian frontier (SLE(8/3)), self-avoiding walk (SLE(8/3)?), superposition of two domino tilings (SLE(4)?), percolation (SLE(6)), and the spanning tree Peano curve (SLE(8)).

Paul Zinn-Justin
Matrix models and integrability: the HCIZ integral

We shall first briefly review the standard connection between the one-matrix model, orthogonal polynomials and the 1D Toda lattice / KP hierarchy, and its usefulness in taking the large N limit. Then we shall consider the more complicated case of the Harish Chandra--Itzykson--Zuber integral. Even though this matrix integral can be computed exactly, its large N limit is most elegantly studied in the framework of the 2D Toda lattice. We shall show how the associated bi-orthogonal polynomials allow to do some explicit calculations and discuss their combinatorial meaning.