Results and problems on congruence lattice representations

We survey some results and problems on congruence lattice representations. We will consider congruence representations and similarity type, and we will consider simultaneous congruence representations. A seemingly innocuous problem unites the sections. This paper is dedicated to Walter Taylor. Received October 9, 2005; accepted in final form January 3, 2006.     

A solution to a spectral poset problem of Lewis and Ohm

We show that there is a 1-dimensional (countable) non-spectral poset X such that for all x≠y∈X, ↑x∩↑y and ↓x∩↓y are finite subsets. On the other hand, we obtain some sufficient conditions for posets to be spectral.     

Simultaneous congruence representations: a special case

We study the problem of representing a pair of algebraic lattices, L₁ and L₀, as Con(A₁) and Con(A₀), respectively, with A₁ an algebra and A₀ a subalgebra of A₁, and we provide such a representation in a special case. Received September 11, 2004; accepted in final form January 7, 2005.     

The automorphism group of a function lattice: A problem of Jónsson and McKenzie

It is shown that Aut(L ^Q ) is naturally isomorphic to Aut(L) × Aut(Q) whenL is a directly and exponentially indecomposable lattice,Q a non-empty connected poset, and one of the following holds:Q is arbitrary butL is ajm-lattice,Q is finitely factorable and L is complete with a join-dense subset of completely join-irreducible elements, orL is arbitrary butQ is finite. A problem of Jónsson and McKenzie is thereby solved. Sharp conditions are found guaranteeing the injectivity of the natural mapv _P,Q from Aut(P) × Aut(Q) to Aut(P ^Q )P andQ posets), correcting misstatements made by previous authors. It is proven that, for a bounded posetP and arbitraryQ, the Dedekind-MacNeille completion ofP ^Q ,DM(P ^Q ), is isomorphic toDM(P)^Q. This isomorphism is used to prove that the natural mapv _P,Q is an isomorphism ifv _DM(P),Q is, reducing a poset problem to a more tractable lattice problem.Presented by B. Jonsson.The author would like to thank his supervisor, Dr. H. A. Priestley, for her direction and advice as well as his undergraduate supervisor, Prof. Garrett Birkhoff, and Dr. P. M. Neumann for comments regarding the paper. This material is based upon work supported under a (U.S.) National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship and a Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission Scholarship.     

Relative separation in distributive congruence lattices

In [5] we defined separable sets in algebraic lattices and showed a close connection between the types of non-separable sets in congruence lattices of algebras in a finitely generated congruence distributive variety and the structure of subdirectly irreducible algebras in Now we generalize these results using the concept of relatively separable sets (with respect to subsets) and apply them to some lattice varieties.In Celebration of the Sixtieth Birthday of Ralph N. McKenzieReceived November 29, 2002; accepted in final form August 19, 2004.     

On the congruence problem in infinite dimensional sesquilinear spaces

If two subspaces V and V of a sesquilinear space E are congruent (i.e., there is an isometry : E E with (V)=V) then their corresponding quadratic lattices V(V, E) and V(V, E) are isomorphic. It is shown that the converse holds for important types of sesquilinear spaces E, provided that dim(E) ₃. However, the converse generally fails if dim(E) ₃.     

Monotone clones and congruence modularity

We investigate the relationship between the local shape of an ordered set P=(P; ) and the congruence-modularity of the variety V generated by an algebra A=(P; F) each of whose operations is order-preserving with respect to P. For example, if V is k-permutable (k2) then P is an antichain; if P is both up and down directed and V is congruence-modular, then V is congruence-distributive; if A is a dual discriminator algebra, then either P is an antichain or a two-element chain. We also give a useful necessary condition on P for V to be congruence-modular. Finally a class of ordered sets called braids is introduced and it is shown that if P is a braid of length 1, in particular if P is a crown, then the variety V is not congruence-modular.     

Almost distributive sublattices and congruence heredity

A congruence lattice L of an algebra A is hereditary if every 0-1 sublattice of L is the congruence lattice of an algebra on A. Suppose that L is a finite lattice obtained from a distributive lattice by doubling a convex subset. We prove that every congruence lattice of a finite algebra isomorphic to L is hereditary. Presented by E. W. Kiss. Received July 18, 2005; accepted in final form April 2, 2006.     

Finite modular congruence lattices

We consider the variety of modular lattices generated by all finite lattices obtained by gluing together some M₃’s. We prove that every finite lattice in this variety is the congruence lattice of a suitable finite algebra (in fact, of an operator group). Received February 26, 2004; accepted in final form December 16, 2004.     

Every finite lattice in $$ \mathcal{V} (M_3) $$

We prove that every finite lattice in the variety generated by M₃ is isomorphic to the congruence lattice of a finite algebra.     

On the number of join-irreducibles in a congruence representation of a finite distributive lattice

For a finite lattice L, let $ \trianglelefteq_L $ denote the reflexive and transitive closure of the join-dependency relation on L, defined on the set J(L) of all join-irreducible elements of L. We characterize the relations of the form $ \trianglelefteq_L $, as follows: Theorem. Let $ \trianglelefteq $ be a quasi-ordering on a finite set P. Then the following conditions are equivalent:(i) There exists a finite lattice L such that $ \langle J(L), \trianglelefteq_L $ is isomorphic to the quasi-ordered set $ \langle P, \trianglelefteq \rangle $.(ii) $ |\{x\in P|p \trianglelefteq x\}| \neq 2 $, for any $ p \in P $.For a finite lattice L, let $ \mathrm{je}(L) = |J(L)|-|J(\mathrm{Con} L)| $ where Con L is the congruence lattice of L. It is well-known that the inequality $ \mathrm{je}(L) \geq 0 $ holds. For a finite distributive lattice D, let us define the join- excess function:$ \mathrm{JE}(D) =\mathrm{min(je} (L) | \mathrm{Con} L \cong D). $We provide a formula for computing the join-excess function of a finite distributive lattice D. This formula implies that $ \mathrm{JE}(D) \leq (2/3)| \mathrm{J}(D)|$ , for any finite distributive lattice D; the constant 2/3 is best possible.A special case of this formula gives a characterization of congruence lattices of finite lower bounded lattices.Dedicated to the memory of Gian-Carlo Rota     

A congruence involving products of q-binomial coefficients

In this paper we establish a q-analogue of a congruence of Sun concerning the products of binomial coefficients modulo the square of a prime.     

Dilworth's principal elements

Principal elements were introduced in multiplicative lattices by R. P. Dilworth, following an earlier but less successful attempt in the joint work of Ward and Dilworth. As suggested by their name, principal elements are the analogue in multiplicative lattices of principal ideals in (commutative) rings. Principal elements are the cornerstone on which the theory of multiplicative lattices and abstract ideal theory now largely rests. In this paper, we obtain some new results regarding principal elements and extend some others. In addition, we try to convey what is known and what is not known about the subject. We conclude with a fairly extensive (but likely not exhaustive) bibliography on principal elements.Dedicated to R. P. DilworthPresented by E. T. Schmidt.     

The convexity lattice of a poset

The authors investigate the lattice Co(P) of convex subsets of a general partially ordered set P. In particular, they determine the conditions under which Co(P) and Co(Q) are isomorphic; and give necessary and sufficient conditions on a lattice L so that L is isomorphic to Co(P) for some P.     

A topological approach to canonical extensions in finitely generated varieties of lattice-based algebras

This paper investigates completions in the context of finitely generated lattice-based varieties of algebras. It is shown that, for such a variety A, the order-theoretic conditions of density and compactness which characterise the canonical extension of (the lattice reduct of) any A∈A have truly topological interpretations. In addition, a particular realisation is presented of the canonical extension of A; this has the structure of a topological algebra nA(A) whose underlying algebra belongs to A. Furthermore, each of the operations of nA(A) coincides with both the σ-extension and the π-extension of the corresponding operation on A, with which a canonical extension is customarily equipped. Thus, in particular, the variety A is canonical, and all its operations are smooth. The methods employed rely solely on elementary order-theoretic and topological arguments, and by-pass the subtle theory of canonical extensions that has been developed for lattice-based algebras in general.     

A cover-preserving embedding of semimodular lattices into geometric lattices

Extending former results by G. Grätzer and E.W. Kiss (1986) [5] and M. Wild (1993) [9] on finite (upper) semimodular lattices, we prove that each semimodular lattice L of finite length has a cover-preserving embedding into a geometric lattice G of the same length. The number of atoms of our G equals the number of join-irreducible elements of L.     

Weakening partial orderings to lattice and semilattice orderings

A partial ordering on a set P can be weakened to an upper or lower semilattice ordering, respectively a lattice ordering, if and only if P is filtered in the appropriate direction(s).This work was done while the author was partly supported by NSF contract DMS 85-02330.     

A note on atomistic weak congruence lattices

It is proved that a codistributive element in an atomistic algebraic lattice has a complement, implying that kernels of the related homomorphisms coincide. Some applications to weak congruence lattices of algebras are presented. In particular, necessary and sufficient conditions under which the weak congruence lattice of an algebra is atomistic are given.     

Dualisability versus residual character: A theorem and a counterexample

We show that a finite algebra must be inherently non-dualisable if the variety that it generates is both residually large and congruence meet-semidistributive. We also give the first example of a finite dualisable algebra that generates a variety that is residually large.