We consider Kasteleyn and Kasteleyn-Percus matrices, which arise in
enumerating matchings of planar graphs, up to matrix operations on their rows
and columns. If such a matrix is defined over a principal ideal domain, this is
equivalent to considering its Smith normal form or its cokernel. Many
variations of the enumeration methods result in equivalent matrices. In
particular, Gessel-Viennot matrices are equivalent to Kasteleyn-Percus
matrices.
We apply these ideas to plane partitions and related planar of tilings. We
list a number of conjectures, supported by experiments in Maple, about the
forms of matrices associated to enumerations of plane partitions and other
lozenge tilings of planar regions and their symmetry classes. We focus on the
case where the enumerations are round or q-round, and we conjecture that
cokernels remain round or q-round for related ``impossible enumerations'' in
which there are no tilings. Our conjectures provide a new view of the topic of
enumerating symmetry classes of plane partitions and their generalizations. In
particular we conjecture that a q-specialization of a Jacobi-Trudi matrix has
a Smith normal form. If so it could be an interesting structure associated to
the corresponding irreducible representation of \SL(n,\C). Finally we find,
with proof, the normal form of the matrix that appears in the enumeration of
domino tilings of an Aztec diamond.Comment: 14 pages, 19 in-line figures. Very minor copy correction
