A Pfaffian formula for the Ising partition function of surface graphs

Abstract

We give a Pfaffian formula to compute the partition function of the Ising model on any graph $G$ embedded in a closed, possibly non-orientable surface. This formula, which is suitable for computational purposes, is based on the relation between the Ising model on $G$ and the dimer model on its terminal graph $G^T$. By combining the ideas of Loebl-Masbaum \cite{Loeb11}, Tesler \cite{Tes2000}, Cimasoni \cite{Cim09, Cim10} and Chelkak-Cimasoni-Kassel \cite{Chel15}, we give an elementary proof for the formula.