Determinant identities and a generalization of the number of totally symmetric self-complementary plane partitions (Q1378520): Difference between revisions

Summary: We prove a constant term conjecture of Robbins and \textit{D. Zeilberger} [J. Comb. Theory, Ser. A 66, No. 1, 17-27 (1994; Zbl 0851.05004)], by translating the problem into a determinant evaluation problem and evaluating the determinant. This determinant generalizes the determinant that gives the number of all totally symmetric self-complementary plane partitions contained in a \((2n)\times(2n)\times(2n)\) box and that was used by \textit{G. E. Andrews} [J. Comb. Theory, Ser. A 66, No. 1, 28-39 (1994; Zbl 0797.05003)] and \textit{G. E. Andrews} and \textit{W. H. Burge} [Pac. J. Math. 158, No. 1, 1-14 (1993; Zbl 0793.15001)] to compute this number explicitly. The evaluation of the generalized determinant is independent of Andrews and Burge's computations, and therefore in particular constitutes a new solution to this famous enumeration problem. We also evaluate a related determinant, thus generalizing another determinant identity of Andrews and Burge (loc. cit.). By translating some of our determinant identities into constant term identities, we obtain several new constant term identities.