A principle for converting Lindstr\"om-type lemmas to Stembridge-type theorems, with applications to walks, groves, and alternating flows

Abstract

We prove that Fomin's generalization of Lindstr\"om's lemma for paths on acyclic directed graphs to walks on general directed graphs also generalizes a theorem of Stembridge in the same way. Moreover, we show that whenever a family of operations satisfies a Lindstr\"om-type determinant relation, a related family of operations satisfies a Stembridge-type Pfaffian relation. We give example applications to Kenyon and Wilson's work on groves and to Talaska's work on alternating flows.