Calculation of the constant factor in the six-vertex model (Q2019202)

Summary: We calculate explicitly the constant factor \(C\) in the large \(N\) asymptotics of the partition function \(Z_N\) of the six-vertex model with domain wall boundary conditions on the critical line between the disordered and ferroelectric phases. On the critical line the weights \(a,b,c\) of the model are parameterized by a parameter \(\alpha >1\), as \(a=\frac{\alpha-1}{2}\), \(b=\frac{\alpha +1}{2}\), \(c=1\). The asymptotics of \(Z_N\) on the critical line was obtained earlier in the paper [J. Stat. Phys. 134, No. 3, 463--485 (2009; Zbl 1165.82305)] of \textit{P. Bleher} and \textit{K. Liechty}: \(Z_N=CF^{N^2}G^{\sqrt{N}}N^{1/4}(1+O(N^{-1/2}))\), where \(F\) and \(G\) are given by explicit expressions, but the constant factor \(C>0\) was not known. To calculate the constant \(C\), we find, by using the Riemann-Hilbert approach, an asymptotic behavior of \(Z_N\) in the double scaling limit, as \(N\) and \(\alpha\) tend simultaneously to \(\infty\) in such a way that \(\frac{N}{\alpha}\to t\geq 0\). Then we apply the Toda equation for the tau-function to find a structural form for \(C\), as a function of \(\alpha\), and we combine the structural form of \(C\) and the double scaling asymptotic behavior of \(Z_N\) to calculate \(C\).