  The spectral determinant det(H-\epsilon I) of the Azbel-Hofstadter
Hamiltonian H is related to Onsager's partition function of the 2D Ising model
for any value of magnetic flux \Phi=2\pi P/Q through an elementary cell, where
P and Q are coprime integers. The band edges of H correspond to the critical
temperature of the Ising model; the spectral determinant at these (and other
points defined in a certain similar way) is independent of P. A connection of
the mean of Lyapunov exponents to the asymptotic (large Q) bandwidth is
indicated.
