On generators and relations for unions of semigroups

Finite generation and presentability of general unions of semigroups, as well as of bands of semigroups, bands of monoids, semilattices of semigroups and strong semilattices of semigroups, are investigated. For instance, it is proved that a band Y of monoids S _α (α∈ Y ) is finitely generated/presented if and only if Y is finite and all S _α are finitely generated/presented. By way of contrast, an example is exhibited of a finitely generated semigroup which is not finitely presented, but which is a disjoint union of two finitely presented subsemigroups. January 21, 2000     

Automatic subsemigroups of free products

We consider the automaticity of subsemigroups of free products of semigroups, proving that subsemigroups of free products, with all generators having length greater than one in the free product, are automatic. As a corollary, we show that if S is a free product of semigroups that are either finite or free, then any finitely generated subsemigroup of S is automatic. In particular, any finitely generated subsemigroup of a free product of finite or monogenic semigroups is automatic.     

Varieties generated by unstable involution semigroups with continuum many subvarieties

Over the years, several finite semigroups have been found to generate varieties with continuum many subvarieties. However, finite involution semigroups that generate varieties with continuum many subvarieties seem much rarer; in fact, only one example—an inverse semigroup of order 165—has so far been published. Nevertheless, it is shown in the present article that there are many smaller examples among involution semigroups that are unstable in the sense that the varieties they generate contain some involution semilattice with nontrivial unary operation. The most prominent examples are the unstable finite involution semigroups that are inherently non-finitely based, the smallest ones of which are of order six. It follows that the join of two finitely generated varieties of involution semigroups with finitely many subvarieties can contain continuum many subvarieties.     

A criterion for a finite endoprimal algebra to be endodualisable

In this note the strategy for finding endoprimal algebras due to B. A. Davey and J. G. Pitkethly is further explored in the finite case. The Retraction Test Algebra Lemma is used as a tool to show that, in many quasivarieties, endoprimality is equivalent to endodualisability for finite algebras which are suitably related to finitely generated free algebras. Received September 2, 1998; accepted in final form June 3, 1999.     

On the Finite and Non-finite Generation of Finitary Power Semigroups

The finitary power semigroup of a semigroup S, denoted P_f(S), is the set of finite subsets of S with respect to the usual set multiplication. Semigroups with finitely generated finitary power semigroups are characterised in terms of three other properties. From this statement there are drawn several corollaries. It follows that P_f(S) is not finitely generated if S is infinite and in any of the following classes: commutative; Bruck-Reilly extensions; inverse semigroups that contain an infinite group; completely zero-simple; completely regular.     

Definability in the lattice of equational theories of semigroups

We study first-order definability in the latticeL of equational theories of semigroups. A large collection of individual theories and some interesting sets of theories are definable inL. As examples, ifT is either the equational theory of a finite semigroup or a finitely axiomatizable locally finite theory, then the set {T, T ^ϖ} is definable, whereT ^ϖ is the dual theory obtained by inverting the order of occurences of letters in the words. Moreover, the set of locally finite theories, the set of finitely axiomatizable theories, and the set of theories of finite semigroups are all definable. The research of both authors was supported by National Science Foundation Grant No. DMS-8302295     

Levi’s Commutator Theorems for Cancellative Semigroups

For every semigroup of finite exponent whose chains of idempotents are uniformly bounded we construct an identity which holds on this semigroup but does not hold on the variety of all idempotent semigroups. This shows that the variety of all idempotent semigroups E is not contained in any finitely generated variety of semigroups. Since E is locally finite and each proper subvariety of E is finitely generated [1, 3, 4], the variety of all idempotent semigroups is a minimal example of an inherently non-finitely generated variety.     

Compatible relations on Heyting chains

We give a sufficient condition for a finite algebra to admit only finitely many compatible relations (modulo a natural equivalence) and show that every finite Heyting chain satisfies this condition, thereby confirming a conjecture of Davey and Pitkethly.     

Properties of Integers and Finiteness Conditions for Semigroups

Let h and k be integers greater than 1; we prove that the following statements are equivalent: 1) the direct product of h copies of the additive semigroup of non-negative integers is not k-repetitive; 2) if the direct product of h finitely generated semigroups is k-repetitive, then one of them is finite. Using this and some results of Dekking and Pleasants on infinite words, we prove that certain repetitivity properties are finiteness conditions for finitely generated semigroups.     

Absolute flatness of regular semigroups with a finite height function

In this paper we give a sufficient condition for regular semigroups with a finite height function to be left absolutely flat. As a consequence, we can show that the semigroup Λ(S) of all right translations of a primitive regular semigroupS with only finitely manyR-classes, with composition being from left to right, is absolutely flat and give a generalization of a Bulman-Fleming and McDowell result concerning absolutely flat semigroups from primitive regular semigroups to regular semigroups with a finite height function. These results give examples of semigroups which are amalgamation bases in the class of semigroups. The author thanks the referee for finding errors in the original version of this paper.     

Group theory via global semigroup theory

Groups are shown to be special homomorphic images of inverse semigroups that are residually finite (actually: every element has only finitely many elements -above). This also leads to a new approach to the Burnside problem. These results extend an earlier paper ([1.], 249–287), but can be read independently. Our goal here is not so much to prove theorems about inverse semigroups as to demonstrate the usefulness of the constructions of [1.], 249–287.     

On the Finite and Nonfinite Generation of Diagonal Acts

The diagonal right act of a semigroup S is the set S × S, with S acting by componentwise multiplication from the right. The diagonal left act and diagonal bi-act of S are defined analogously.

Necessary and sufficient conditions are found for the finite generation of the diagonal bi-acts of completely zero-simple semigroups and completely simple semigroups. It is also proved that various classes of semigroups do not have finitely generated or cyclic diagonal right, left, or bi-acts.     

Subdirect decompositions of finitely generated commutative semigroups

All finitely generated commutative semigroups which do not have proper finite subdirect decompositions are determined. This yields subdirect decompositions of finitely generated commutative semigroups and some idea of their structure.     

Finitely Related Clones and Algebras with Cube Terms

Aichinger et al. (2011) have proved that every finite algebra with a cube-term (equivalently, with a parallelogram-term; equivalently, having few subpowers) is finitely related. Thus finite algebras with cube terms are inherently finitely related??every expansion of the algebra by adding more operations is finitely related. In this paper, we show that conversely, if A is a finite idempotent algebra and every idempotent expansion of A is finitely related, then A has a cube-term. We present further characterizations of the class of finite idempotent algebras having cube-terms, one of which yields, for idempotent algebras with finitely many basic operations and a fixed finite universe A, a polynomial-time algorithm for determining if the algebra has a cube-term. We also determine the maximal non-finitely related idempotent clones over A. The number of these clones is finite.     

Log-linear varieties of semigroups

A necessary and sufficient condition for a variety of semigroups to be log-linear is found in terms of identities. In particular, every log-linear variety of semigroups is hereditarily finitely based. Also, it can be effectively decided whether a finite semigroup generates a log-linear variety.Presented by G. Grätzer.     

Finite state wreath powers of transformation semigroups

The finite state wreath power of a transformation semigroup is introduced. It is proved that the finite state wreath power of nontrivial semigroup is not finitely generated and in some cases even does not contain irreducible generating systems. The free product of two monogenic semigroups of index 1 and period m is constructed in the finite state wreath power of corresponding monogenic monoid.     

Finitely approximable regular semigroups

In this note it is proved that a regular semigroup whose subgroups are all finitely approximable is finitely approximable and that the set of idempotents of each principal factor is finite. As a corollary necessary and sufficient conditions are found for certain classes of regular semigroups to be finitely approximable.Translated from Matematicheskie Zametki, Vol. 17, No. 3, pp. 423–432, March, 1975.The author is grateful to L. N. Shevrin and Yu. N. Mukhin for their valuable observations and helpful discussions.     

Associative nontrivial hyperidentities in semigroups

The paper gives a characterization of the class of semigroups in which the nontrivial associative hyperidentity is essentially satisfied. It is proved that, in difference to the case of trivial associative hyperidentity, the class of all semigroups, in which a nontrivial associative hyperidentity is essentially satisfied, is a finite union of finitely based varieties of semigroups, and the basis identities of all varieties are explicitly inscribed.     

A solvable conjugacy problem for finitely presented semigroups satisfying C(2) and T(4)

There are multiple, inequivalent, definitions for conjugacy in semigroups. In Cummings and Jackson (Semigroup Forum 88, 52–66, 2014), we conjectured that, for at least one of these definitions of conjugacy, the conjugacy problem for finitely presented semigroups satisfying C(2) and T(4) is solvable. Here we essentially verify that conjecture. In that 2014 Semigroup Forum publication, we developed geometric methods to solve a conjugacy problem for finitely presented semigroups satisfying C(3). We use those methods again here.