A bideterminant proof of a product identity for plane partitions with symmetries (Q1209656)

A bideterminant is a quotient of two determinants. Bideterminant character expressions are the starting point for solutions of some of the enumeration problems for plane partitions with symmetries posed by \textit{R. P. Stanley} [J. Comb. Theory, Ser. A 43, 103-113 (1986; Zbl 0602.05007)]; see, for example, the author's paper in [Eur. J. Comb. 11, No. 3, 289-300 (1990; Zbl 0726.05008)]. The bideterminant approach avoids the most difficult step of the one determinant approaches to such problems, namely the factoring of the determinant. A multivariate generating function for a class of shifted plane partitions is expressed as a bideterminant which is shown to satisfy a certain recursion. As a result an enumeration of transpose self-complementary plane partitions is obtained. The author argues many benefits of the bideterminant approach.