A variational principle for domino tilings

We formulate and prove a variational principle (in the sense of thermodynamics) for random domino tilings, or equivalently for the dimer model on a square grid. This principle states that a typical tiling of an arbitrary finite region can be described by a function that maximizes an entropy integral. We associate an entropy to every sort of local behavior domino tilings can exhibit, and prove that almost all tilings lie within (for an appropriate metric) of the unique entropy-maximizing solution. This gives a solution to the dimer problem with fully general boundary conditions, thereby resolving an issue first raised by Kasteleyn. Our methods also apply to dimer models on other grids and their associated tiling models, such as tilings of the plane by three orientations of unit lozenges.

     

Laurent biorthogonal polynomials, q-Narayana polynomials and domino tilings of the Aztec diamonds

A Toeplitz determinant whose entries are described by a q-analogue of the Narayana polynomials is evaluated by means of Laurent biorthogonal polynomials which allow of a combinatorial interpretation in terms of Schröder paths. As an application, a new proof is given to the Aztec diamond theorem by Elkies, Kuperberg, Larsen and Propp concerning domino tilings of the Aztec diamonds. The proof is based on the correspondence with non-intersecting Schröder paths developed by Johansson.     

Invariant measures for non-primitive tiling substitutions

We consider self-affine tiling substitutions in Euclidean space and the corresponding tiling dynamical systems. It is well known that in the primitive case, the dynamical system is uniquely ergodic. We investigate invariant measures when the substitution is not primitive and the tiling dynamical system is non-minimal. We prove that all ergodic invariant probability measures are supported on minimal components, but there are other natural ergodic invariant measures, which are infinite. Under some mild assumptions, we completely characterize σ-finite invariant measures which are positive and finite on a cylinder set. A key step is to establish recognizability of non-periodic tilings in our setting. Examples include the “integer Sierpiński gasket and carpet” tilings. For such tilings, the only invariant probability measure is supported on trivial periodic tilings, but there is a fully supported σ-finite invariant measure that is locally finite and unique up to scaling.     

4-Regular Vertex-Transitive Tilings of E 3

{There exist precisely 149 topological types of semipolytopal tile-transitive tilings of E ³ by ``extetrahedra' (obtained from tetrahedra by introducing certain new vertices of degree 2 ). Dualization gives rise to 149 types of 4-regular vertex-transitive tilings. The 4-coordinated networks carried by these tilings are closely related to crystal structures such as zeolites or diamond. These results are obtained using ``combinatorial tiling theory.'} Received February 12, 1999, and in revised form September 21, 1999. Online publication May 15, 2000.     

Double Aztec diamonds and the tacnode process

Discrete and continuous non-intersecting random processes have given rise to critical “infinite-dimensional diffusions”, like the Airy process, the Pearcey process and variations thereof. It has been known that domino tilings of very large Aztec diamonds lead macroscopically to a disordered region within an inscribed ellipse (arctic circle in the homogeneous case), and a regular brick-like region outside the ellipse. The fluctuations near the ellipse, appropriately magnified and away from the boundary of the Aztec diamond, form an Airy process, run with time tangential to the boundary.     

On the hyperbolicity of general hypersurfaces

We introduce and study stochastic \(N\)-particle ensembles which are discretizations for general-\(\beta \) log-gases of random matrix theory. The examples include random tilings, families of non-intersecting paths, \((z,w)\)-measures, etc. We prove that under technical assumptions on general analytic potential, the global fluctuations for such ensembles are asymptotically Gaussian as \(N\to \infty \). The covariance is universal and coincides with its counterpart in random matrix theory.Our main tool is an appropriate discrete version of the Schwinger-Dyson (or loop) equations, which originates in the work of Nekrasov and his collaborators.     

Lower bounds for densities of uniformly elliptic random variables on Wiener space

 In this article, we generalize the lower bound estimates for uniformly elliptic diffusion processes obtained by Kusuoka and Stroock. We define the concept of uniform elliptic random variable on Wiener space and show that with this definition one can prove a lower bound estimate of Gaussian type for its density. We apply our results to the case of the stochastic heat equation under the hypothesis of unifom ellipticity of the diffusion coefficient. Received: 6 November 2001 / Revised version: 27 February 2003 / Published online: 12 May 2003 Key words or phrases: Malliavin Calculus – Density estimates – Aronson estimates     

Invariant cocycles, random tilings and the super- and strong Markov properties

We consider -cocycles with values in locally compact, second countable abelian groups on discrete, nonsingular, ergodic equivalence relations. If such a cocycle is invariant under certain automorphisms of these relations, we show that the skew product extension defined by the cocycle is ergodic. As an application we obtain an extension of many recent results of the author and K. Petersen to higher-dimensional shifts of finite type, and prove a transitivity result concerning rearrangements of certain random tilings.

     

Cubist algebras

We construct algebras from rhombohedral tilings of Euclidean space obtained as projections of certain cubical complexes. We show that these ‘Cubist algebras’ satisfy strong homological properties, such as Koszulity and quasi-heredity, reflecting the combinatorics of the tilings. We construct derived equivalences between Cubist algebras associated to local mutations in tilings. We recover as a special case the Rhombal algebras of Michael Peach and make a precise connection to weight 2 blocks of symmetric groups.     

Partial difference equation method for lattice path problems

Many problems concerning lattice paths, especially on the square lattice have been exactly solved. For a single path, many methods exist that allow exact calculation regardless of whether the path inhabits a strip, a semi-infinite space or infinite space, or perhaps interacts with the walls. It has been shown that a transfer matrix method using the Bethe Ansatz allows for the calculation of the partition function for many non-intersecting paths interacting with a wall. This problem can also be considered using the Gessel-Viennot methodology. In a concurrent development, two non-intersecting paths interacting with a wall have been examined in semi-infinite space using a set of partial difference equations.Here, we review thispartial difference equation method for the case of one path in a half plane. We then demonstrate that the answer for arbitrary numbers of non-intersecting paths interacting with a wall can be obtained using this method. One reason for doing this is its pedagogical value in showing its ease of use compared to the transfer matrix method. The solution is expressed in a new form as a constant term formula, which is readily evaluated. More importantly, it is the natural method that generalizes easily to many intersecting paths where there is inter-path interactions (e.g., osculating lattice paths). We discuss the relationship of the partial difference equation method to the transfer matrix method and their solution via a Bethe Ansatz.     

Numeration systems and Markov partitions from self similar tilings

Using self similar tilings we represent the elements of as digit expansions with digits in being operated on by powers of an expansive linear map. We construct Markov partitions for hyperbolic toral automorphisms by considering a special class of self similar tilings modulo the integer lattice. We use the digit expansions inherited from these tilings to give a symbolic representation for the toral automorphisms.

     

Random surface growth with a wall and Plancherel measures for O (∞)

We consider a Markov evolution of lozenge tilings of a quarter‐plane and study its asymptotics at large times. One of the boundary rays serves as a reflecting wall. We observe frozen and liquid regions, prove convergence of the local correlations to translation‐invariant Gibbs measures in the liquid region, and obtain new discrete Jacobi and symmetric Pearcey determinantal point processes near the wall. The model can be viewed as the one‐parameter family of Plancherel measures for the infinite‐dimensional orthogonal group, and we use this interpretation to derive the determinantal formula for the correlation functions at any finite‐time moment. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

A Framework for the Construction of Self-replicating Tilings

Dekking (Adv. Math. 44:78–104, 1982; J. Comb. Theory Ser. A 32:315–320, 1982) provided an important method to compute the boundaries of lattice rep-tiles as a ‘recurrent set’ on a free group of a finite alphabet. That is, those tilings are generated by lattice translations of a single tile, and there is an expanding linear map that carries tiles to unions of tiles. The boundary of the tile is identified with a sequence of words in the alphabet obtained from an expanding endomorphism (substitution) on the alphabet. In this paper, Dekking’s construction is generalized to address tilings with more than one tile, and to have the elements of the tilings be generated by both translation and rotations. Examples that fall within the scope of our main result include self-replicating multi-tiles, self-replicating tiles for crystallographic tilings and aperiodic tilings.     

Double Aztec rectangles

We investigate the connection between lozenge tilings and domino tilings by introducing a new family of regions obtained by attaching two different Aztec rectangles. We prove a simple product formula for the generating functions of the tilings of the new regions, which involves the statistics as in the Aztec diamond theorem (Elkies et al. (1992) [2], [3]). Moreover, we consider the connection between the generating function and MacMahon's q-enumeration of plane partitions fitting in a given box     

Rhombus Tilings: Decomposition and Space Structure

We study the spaces of rhombus tilings, i.e. the graphs whose vertices are tilings of a fixed zonotope. Two tilings are linked if one can pass from one to the other by a local transformation, called a flip. We first use a decomposition method to encode rhombus tilings and give a useful characterization for a sequence of bits to encode a tiling. We use the previous coding to get a canonical representation of tilings, and two order structures on the space of tilings. In codimension 2 we prove that the two order structures are equal. In larger codimensions we study the lexicographic case, and get an order regularity result.     

Discrete schemes for processes in random media

We present discrete schemes for processes in random media. We prove two results. The first one is the convergence of Sinai's random walks in random environments to the Brox model. The second one is the convergence of random walks in media with random “gates” to a continuous process in a Poisson potential. The proofs are based on the following idea: we consider the discrete media as random potentials for continuous models. Received: 6 May 1999 / Revised version: 18 October 1999 / Published online: 20 October 2000     

On the enumeration of Archimedean polyhedra in the Lobachevsky space

We describe the class of Archimedean polyhedra in the three-dimensional Lobachevsky space, which technically reduces to studying Archimedean tilings of the Lobachevsky plane. We analyze the possibility of obtaining Archimedean tilings by methods that are usually applied on the sphere and in the Euclidean plane. It is pointed out that such tilings can be constructed by using certain types of Fedorov groups in the Lobachevsky plane. We propose a general approach to the problem of classifying Archimedean tilings of the Lobachevsky plane.