Decomposition theorem on matchable distributive lattices

A distributive lattice structure ${\mathbf M}(G)$ has been established on the set of perfect matchings of a plane bipartite graph $G$. We call a lattice {\em matchable distributive lattice} (simply MDL) if it is isomorphic to such a distributive lattice. It is natural to ask which lattices are MDLs. We show that if a plane bipartite graph $G$ is elementary, then ${\mathbf M}(G)$ is irreducible. Based on this result, a decomposition theorem on MDLs is obtained: a finite distributive lattice $\mathbf{L}$ is an MDL if and only if each factor in any cartesian product decomposition of $\mathbf{L}$ is an MDL. Two types of MDLs are presented: $J(\mathbf{m}\times \mathbf{n})$ and $J(\mathbf{T})$, where $\mathbf{m}\times \mathbf{n}$ denotes the cartesian product between $m$-element chain and $n$-element chain, and $\mathbf{T}$ is a poset implied by any orientation of a tree.Comment: 19 pages, 7 figure

Generating Random Elements of Finite Distributive Lattices

This survey article describes a method for choosing uniformly at random from any finite set whose objects can be viewed as constituting a distributive lattice. The method is based on ideas of the author and David Wilson for using ``coupling from the past'' to remove initialization bias from Monte Carlo randomization. The article describes several applications to specific kinds of combinatorial objects such as tilings, constrained lattice paths, and alternating-sign matrices.Comment: 13 page

Outerplane bipartite graphs with isomorphic resonance graphs

We present novel results related to isomorphic resonance graphs of 2-connected outerplane bipartite graphs. As the main result, we provide a structure characterization for 2-connected outerplane bipartite graphs with isomorphic resonance graphs. Moreover, two additional characterizations are expressed in terms of resonance digraphs and via local structures of inner duals of 2-connected outerplane bipartite graphs, respectively