We investigate deterministic and randomized streaming algorithms for word problems in finitely generated groups and semigroups. For this we introduce the notion of a distinguisher: a randomized streaming algorithm that processes two input words in parallel and, with high probability, reaches identical memory states if the words represent the same element, and distinct states otherwise. We construct such distinguishers with low error probability using logarithmic, and in some cases doubly logarithmic, space. For example, our results apply to linear semigroups and to semigroups obtained (under suitable restrictions) via standard constructions such as graph products, wreath products, and semilattice decompositions. In case of commutative semigroups and cancellative nilpotent semigroups, we achieve space complexity $\mathcal{O}(\log \log n)$. We complement these upper bounds with lower bounds demonstrating that certain well-known semigroups do not admit sublinear-space distinguishers. This includes, for example, free inverse monoids of rank at least two and Thompson's group $F$. Finally, we study randomized streaming algorithms for subgroup membership problems in free groups and their direct products.
We consider the lattice of subsemigroups of the general linear group over an Artinian ring containing the group of diagonal matrices and show that every such semigroup is actually a group.
We define and study the notion of a crossed module over an inverse semigroup and the corresponding $4$-term exact sequences, called crossed module extensions. For a crossed module $A$ over an $F$-inverse monoid $T$, we show that equivalence classes of admissible crossed module extensions of $A$ by $T$ are in a one-to-one correspondence with the elements of the cohomology group $H^3_\le(T^1,A^1)$.
We prove the following results: (1) Every group is a maximal subgroup of some free idempotent generated semigroup. (2) Every finitely presented group is a maximal subgroup of some free idempotent generated semigroup arising from a finite semigroup. (3) Every group is a maximal subgroup of some free regular idempotent generated semigroup. (4) Every finite group is a maximal subgroup of some free regular idempotent generated semigroup arising from a finite regular semigroup.
We present a construction for the holomorph of an inverse semigroup, derived from the cartesian closed structure of the category of ordered groupoids. We compare the holomorph with the monoid of mappings that preserve the ternary heap operation on an inverse semigroup: for groups these two constructions coincide. We present detailed calculations for semilattices of groups and for the polycyclic monoids.
To solve two problems of Bergman stated in 1981, we construct a group $G$ such that $G$ contains a free noncyclic subgroup (hence, $G$ satisfies no group identity) and $G$, as a group, is generated by its subsemigroup that satisfies a nontrivial semigroup identity.
Let $a$ be a non-invertible transformation of a finite set and let $G$ be a group of permutations on that same set. Then $\genset{G, a}\setminus G$ is a subsemigroup, consisting of all non-invertible transformations, in the semigroup generated by $G$ and $a$. Likewise, the conjugates $a^g=g^{-1}ag$ of $a$ by elements $g\in G$ generate a semigroup denoted $\genset{a^g | g\in G}$. We classify the finite permutation groups $G$ on a finite set $X$ such that the semigroups $\genset{G,a}$, $\genset{G, a}\setminus G$, and $\genset{a^g | g\in G}$ are regular for all transformations of $X$. We also cla…
In this paper we describe the automorphism groups of the endomorphism semigroups of free Burnside groups $B(m,n)$ for odd exponents $n\ge1003$. We prove, that the groups $Aut(End(B(m,n)))$ and $Aut(B(m,n))$ are isomorphic. In particular, if the groups $Aut(End(B(m,n)))$ and $Aut(End(B(k,n)))$ are isomorphic, then $m=k$.
In this paper we exhibit a type of semigroup presentations which determines a class of local groups. We show that the finite elements of this class generate the pseudovariety ${\bf LG}$ of all finite local groups and use them as test-semigroups to prove that ${\bf LG}$ and ${\bf S}$, the pseudovariety of all finite semigroups, verify the same $κ$-identities involving $κ$-terms of rank at most 1, where $κ$ denotes the implicit signature consisting of the multiplication and the $(ω-1)$-power.
A scale-multiplicative semigroup in a totally disconnected, locally compact group $G$ is one for which the restriction of the scale function on $G$ is multiplicative. The maximal scale-multiplicative semigroups in groups acting 2-transitively on the set of ends of trees without leaves are determined in this paper and shown to correspond to geometric features of the tree.
We study algebraic and topological properties of subsemigroups of the hyperspace exp(G) of non-empty compact subsets of a topological group G endowed with the Vietoris topology and the natural semigroup operation. On this base we prove that a compact Clifford topological semigroup S is topologically isomorphic to a subsemigroup of exp(G) for a suitable topological group G if and only if S is a topological inverse semigroup with zero-dimensional idempotent semilattice.
We study automorphisms of the semigroup $\boldsymbol{B}_{Z\mathbb{}}^{\mathscr{F}}$ with the family $\mathscr{F}$ of inductive nonempty subsets of $ω$ and prove that the group $\mathbf{Aut}(\boldsymbol{B}_{\mathbb{Z}}^{\mathscr{F}})$ of automorphisms of the semigroup $\boldsymbol{B}_{Z\mathbb{}}^{\mathscr{F}}$ is isomorphic to the additive group integers.
The study of word hyperbolic groups is a prominent topic in geometric group theory; however word hyperbolic groups are defined by a geometric condition which does not extend naturally to semigroups. We propose a linguistic definition. Roughly speaking a semigroup is word hyperbolic if its multiplication table is a context free language. For groups this definition is equivalent to the original geometric one. We also briefly consider word problems of semigroups.
We study the scale function, space of directions and scale-multiplicative semigroups for restricted Burger-Mozes groups. We relate these general notions to intrinsic properties of the group. Among other things, we give a formula for the scale function; relate the space of directions to both the action on the tree and an action on a $\operatorname{CAT}(0)$ cube complex; and construct maximal scale-multiplicative semigroups from the space of directions.
An involution on a semigroup S (or any algebra with an underlying associative binary operation) is a function f:S->S that satisfies f(xy)=f(y)f(x) and f(f(x))=x for all x,y in S. The set I(S) of all such involutions on S generates a subgroup C(S)=<I(S)> of the symmetric group Sym(S) on the set S. We investigate the groups C(S) for certain classes of semigroups S, and also consider the question of which groups are isomorphic to C(S) for a suitable semigroup S.
In this article, we show that a group $G$ is the union of two proper subsemigroups if and only if $G$ has a nontrivial left-orderable quotient. Furthermore, if $G$ is the union of two proper semigroups, then there exists a minimum normal subgroup $N\unlhd G$ for which $G/N$ is left-orderable and nontrivial.
It is proved that the automorphism group of a semigroup being an inflation of its proper subsemigroup decomposes into a semidirect product of two groups one of which is a direct sum of full symmetric groups.
Given an arbitrary group $G$ we construct a semigroup of idempotents (band) $B_G$ with the property that the free idempotent generated semigroup over $B_G$ has a maximal subgroup isomorphic to $G$. If $G$ is finitely presented then $B_G$ is finite. This answers several questions from recent papers in the area.
We answer the question by Matt Brin on the structure of diagram groups over semigroup presentation ${\mathcal P}=\langle a,b,c\mid a=bc,b=ca,c=ab\rangle$. In the talk on Oberwolfach workshop, Brin conjectured that the diagram group over $\mathcal P$ with base $a$ is isomorphic to the generalized Thompson's group $F_9$. We confirm this conjecture and consider some generalizations of this fact.
We associate a 2-complex to the following data: a presentation of a semigroup $S$ and a transitive action of $S$ on a set $V$ by partial transformations. The automorphism group of the action acts properly discontinuously on this 2-complex. A sufficient condition is given for the 2-complex to be simply connected. As a consequence we obtain simple topological proofs of results on presentations of Schützenberger groups. We also give a geometric proof that a finitely generated regular semigroup with finitely many idempotents has polynomial growth if and only if all its maximal subgroups are virtua…
For a semigroup $S$, the covering number of $S$ with respect to semigroups, $σ_s(S)$, is the minimum number of proper subsemigroups of $S$ whose union is $S$. This article investigates covering numbers of semigroups and analogously defined covering numbers of inverse semigroups and monoids. Our three main theorems give a complete description of the covering number of finite semigroups, finite inverse semigroups, and monoids (modulo groups and infinite semigroups). For a finite semigroup that is neither monogenic nor a group, its covering number is two. For all $n\geq 2$, there exists an invers…
The semigroup $\mathbf{I}\mathbb{N}_{\infty}$ of all partial co-finite isometries of positive integers is studied. We describe Green's relations on the semigroup $\mathbf{I}\mathbb{N}_{\infty}$, its band and proved that $\mathbf{I}\mathbb{N}_{\infty}$ is a simple $E$-unitary $F$-inverse semigroup. We described the least group congruence $\mathfrak{C}_{\mathbf{mg}}$ on $\mathbf{I}\mathbb{N}_{\infty}$ and proved that the quotient-semigroup $\mathbf{I}\mathbb{N}_{\infty}/\mathfrak{C}_{\mathbf{mg}}$ is isomorphic to the additive group of integers. An example of a non-group congruence on the semigr…
For an arbitrary group $G$, it is shown that either the semigroup rank $G{\rm rk}S$ equals the group rank $G{\rm rk}G$, or $G{\rm rk}S = G{\rm rk}G+1$. This is the starting point for the rest of the article, where the semigroup rank for diverse kinds of groups is analysed. The semigroup rank of relatively free groups, for any variety of groups, is computed. For a finitely generated abelian group~$G$, it is proven that $G{\rm rk}S = G{\rm rk}G+1$ if and only if $G$ is torsion-free. In general, this is not true. Partial results are obtained in the nilpotent case. It is also proven that if $M$ is…
A {\it Schmidt group} is a non-nilpotent finite group in which each proper subgroup is nilpotent. Each Schmidt group G can be described by three parameters p, q and v, where p and q are different primes and v is a natural number, $v\ge 1$. Denote by ${\mathcal{S}}$ the class of all Schmidt groups which have the same parameters p, q and v. It is shown in this paper that the class ${\mathcal{S}}$ can be characterized by the properties of the endomorphism semigroups of the groups of this class. It follows from this characterization that if $G\in {\mathcal{S}}$ and H is another group such that the…
In 1959, P. Hall introduced the locally finite group $\mathcal{U}$, today known as Hall's universal group. This group is countable, universal, simple, and any two finite isomorphic subgroups are conjugate in $\mathcal{U}$. It can be explicitly described as a direct limit of finite symmetric groups. It is homogeneous in the model-theoretic sense since it is the Fraisse limit of the class of all finite groups. Since its introduction Hall's group, and several natural generalisations, have been widely studied. In this article we use a generalisation of Fraisse theory to construct a countable, univ…
We describe how the SgpDec computer algebra package can be used for composing and decomposing permutation groups and transformation semigroups hierarchically by directly constructing substructures of wreath products, the so called cascade products.
We give a survey on results regarding self-similar and automaton presentations of free groups and semigroups and related products. Furthermore, we discuss open problems and results with respect to algebraic decision problems in this area.
In the paper we study the semigroup $\mathscr{C}_{\mathbb{Z}}$ which is a generalization of the bicyclic semigroup. We describe main algebraic properties of the semigroup $\mathscr{C}_{\mathbb{Z}}$ and prove that every non-trivial congruence $\mathfrak{C}$ on the semigroup $\mathscr{C}_{\mathbb{Z}}$ is a group congruence, and moreover the quotient semigroup $\mathscr{C}_{\mathbb{Z}}/\mathfrak{C}$ is isomorphic to a cyclic group. Also we show that the semigroup $\mathscr{C}_{\mathbb{Z}}$ as a Hausdorff semitopological semigroup admits only the discrete topology. Next we study the closure $\oper…
Let $X$ be a finite set such that $|X|=n$, and let $k< n/2$. A group is $k$-homogeneous if it has only one orbit on the sets of size $k$. The aim of this paper is to prove some general results on permutation groups and then apply them to transformation semigroups. On groups we find the minimum number of permutations needed to generate $k$-homogeneous groups (for $k\ge 1$); in particular we show that $2$-homogeneous groups are $2$-generated. We also describe the orbits of $k$-homogenous groups on partitions with $n-k$ parts, classify the $3$-homogeneous groups $G$ whose orbits on $(n-3)$-partit…
The question of computing the group complexity of finite semigroups and automata was first posed in K. Krohn and J. Rhodes, \textit{Complexity of finite semigroups}, Annals of Mathematics (2) \textbf{88} (1968), 128--160, motivated by the Prime Decomposition Theorem of K. Krohn and J. Rhodes, \textit{Algebraic theory of machines, {I}: {P}rime decomposition theorem for finite semigroups and machines}, Transactions of the American Mathematical Society \textbf{116} (1965), 450--464. Here we provide an effective lower bound for group complexity.
For each group G which decomposes into a finitary direct product of free groups of finite rank we construct a regular band B such that the free idempotent generated semigroup over B contains a maximal subgroup isomorphic to G. In particular, there exists a (regular) band B_0 with the property that any idempotent generated semigroup whose biordered set is isomorphic to that of B_0 must have all its subgroups abelian.
In this paper we prove two new results about closed semigroups in the family of solvable groups H_{mn} that are semidirect products of R^m and R^n, and for which the structure homomorphism maps nontrivially into the center of Aut(R^n). The first result states that the closure of a semigroup generated by a set in H_{mn} that is not included in a maximal semigroup with nonempty interior is actually a group. The second result states that among the subsets of H_{mn} that are not included in a maximal proper semigroup, those that generate H_{mn} as a closed semigroup are dense. Results of this natu…
Ideal series of semigroups play an important role in the examination of semigroups which have proper two-sided ideals. But the corresponding theorems cannot be used when left simple (or right simple or simple) semigroups are considered. So it is a natural idea that we try to use the group theoretical methods (instead of the ring theoretical ones) for the examination of these semigroups. The purpose of this paper is to find a suitable type of subsemigroups of left simple semigroups which makes possible for us to generalize some notions (the notion of the normal series and the composition series…
We show that double cosets of the infinite symmetric group with respect to some special subgroups admit natural structures of semigroups. We interpret elements of such semigroups in combinatorial terms (chips, colored graphs, two-dimensional surfaces with polygonal tiling) and describe explicitly the multiplications.
A family $\mathcal L$ of subsets of a set $X$ is called linked if $A\cap B\ne\emptyset$ for any $A,B\in\mathcal L$. A linked family $\mathcal M$ of subsets of $X$ is maximal linked if $\mathcal M$ coincides with each linked family $\mathcal L$ on $X$ that contains $\mathcal M$. The superextension $λ(X)$ of $X$ consists of all maximal linked families on $X$. Any associative binary operation $* : X\times X \to X$ can be extended to an associative binary operation $*: λ(X)\timesλ(X)\toλ(X)$. In the paper we study automorphisms of the superextensions of finite monogenic semigroups and characterist…
Takahasi's theorem on chains of subgroups of bounded rank in a free group is generalized to several classes of semigroups. As an application, it is proved that the subsemigroups of periodic points are finitely generated and periodic orbits are bounded for arbitrary endomorphisms for various semigroups. Some of these results feature classes such as completely simple semigroups, Clifford semigroups or monoids defined by balanced one-relator presentations. In addition to the background on semigroups, proofs involve arguments over groups and finite automata.
The set of idempotents of any semigroup carries the structure of a biordered set, which contains a great deal of information concerning the idempotent generated subsemigroup of the semigroup in question. This leads to the construction of a free idempotent generated semigroup $\mathsf{IG}(\mathcal{E})$ - the `free-est' semigroup with a given biordered set $\mathcal{E}$ of idempotents. We show that when $\mathcal{E}$ is finite, the word problem for $\mathsf{IG}(\mathcal{E})$ is equivalent to a family of constraint satisfaction problems involving rational subsets of direct products of pairs of ma…
A regular ordered semigroup $S$ is called right inverse if every principal left ideal of $S$ is generated by an $\mathcal{R}$-unique ordered idempotent. Here we explore the theory of right inverse ordered semigroups. We show that a regular ordered semigroup is right inverse if and only if any two right inverses of an element $a\in S$ are $\mathcal{R}$-related. Furthermore, different characterizations of right Clifford, right group-like, group like ordered semigroups are done by right inverse ordered semigroups. Thus a foundation of right inverse semigroups has been developed.
In an earlier work, the author observed that Boolean inverse semi-groups, with semigroup homomorphisms preserving finite orthogonal joins, form a congruence-permutable variety of algebras, called biases. We give a full description of varieties of biases in terms of varieties of groups: (1) Every free bias is residually finite. In particular, the word problem for free biases is decidable. (2) Every proper variety of biases contains a largest finite symmetric inverse semigroup, and it is generated by its members that are generalized rook matrices over groups with zero. (3) There is an order-pres…
This article studies the properties of word-hyperbolic semigroups and monoids, i.e. those having context-free multiplication tables with respect to a regular combing, as defined by Duncan & Gilman. In particular, the preservation of word-hyperbolicity under taking free products is considered. Under mild conditions on the semigroups involved, satisfied e.g. by monoids or regular semigroups, we prove that the semigroup free product of two word-hyperbolic semigroups is again word-hyperbolic. Analogously, with a mild condition on the uniqueness of representation for the identity element, satisfied…
An example of an extension of a completely simple semigroup U by a group H is given which cannot be embedded into the wreath product of U by H. On the other hand, every central extension of U by H is shown to be embeddable in the wreath product of U by H, and any extension of U by H is proved to be embeddable in a semidirect product of a completely simple semigroup V by H where the maximal subgroups of V are direct powers of those of U.
In this paper, we study the word problem for automaton semigroups and automaton groups from a complexity point of view. As an intermediate concept between automaton semigroups and automaton groups, we introduce automaton-inverse semigroups, which are generated by partial, yet invertible automata. We show that there is an automaton-inverse semigroup and, thus, an automaton semigroup with a PSPACE-complete word problem. We also show that there is an automaton group for which the word problem with a single rational constraint is PSPACE-complete. Additionally, we provide simpler constructions for …
We study algebraic and topological properties of the convolution semigroups of probability measures on a topological groups and show that a compact Clifford topological semigroup $S$ embeds into the convolution semigroup $P(G)$ over some topological group $G$ if and only if $S$ embeds into the semigroup $\exp(G)$ of compact subsets of $G$ if and only if $S$ is an inverse semigroup and has zero-dimensional maximal semilattice. We also show that such a Clifford semigroup $S$ embeds into the functor-semigroup $F(G)$ over a suitable compact topological group $G$ for each weakly normal monadic func…
J.M. Howie, the influential St Andrews semigroupist, claimed that we value an area of pure mathematics to the extent that (a) it gives rise to arguments that are deep and elegant, and (b) it has interesting interconnections with other parts of pure mathematics. This paper surveys some recent results on the transformation semigroup generated by a permutation group $G$ and a single non-permutation $a$. Our particular concern is the influence that properties of $G$ (related to homogeneity, transitivity and primitivity) have on the structure of the semigroup. In the first part of the paper, we con…
Our aim is to find some new links between linear (circular) orderability of groups and topological dynamics. We suggest natural analogs of the concept of algebraic orderability for topological groups involving order-preserving actions on compact spaces and the corresponding enveloping semigroups in the sense of R. Ellis. This approach leads to several natural questions. Some of them might be useful also for discrete (countable) orderable groups.
Given a locally constant linear cocycle over a subshift of finite type, we show that the existence of a uniform gap between the i-th and (i+1)-th Lyapunov exponents for all invariant measures implies the existence of a dominated splitting of index i. We establish a similar result for sofic subshifts coming from word hyperbolic groups, in relation with Anosov representations of such groups. We discuss the case of finitely generated semigroups, and propose a notion of Anosov representation in this setting.
We describe the $C^*$-algebra of an $E$-unitary or strongly 0-$E$-unitary inverse semigroup as the partial crossed product of a commutative $C^*$-algebra by the maximal group image of the inverse semigroup. We give a similar result for the $C^*$-algebra of the tight groupoid of an inverse semigroup. We also study conditions on a groupoid $C^*$-algebra to be Morita equivalent to a full crossed product of a commutative $C^*$-algebra with an inverse semigroup, generalizing results of Khoshkam and Skandalis for crossed products with groups.
We introduce the notion of an introverted Boolean algebra $\cal B$ of closed-and-open subsets of a topological group $G$, show that the associated Stone space $(ν_{\cal B} G, ν_{\cal B})$ is a totally disconnected semigroup compactification of $G$, and show that every totally disconnected semigroup compactification of $G$ takes this form. We identify and study the universal totally disconnected semigroup compactification, the universal totally disconnected semitopological semigroup compactification and the universal totally disconnected group compactification of $G$. Our main results are obtai…
In this paper we combine the algebraic properties of Mealy machines generating self-similar groups and the combinatorial properties of the corresponding deterministic finite automata (DFA). In particular, we relate bounded automata to finitely generated synchronizing automata and characterize finite automata groups in terms of nilpotency of the corresponding DFA. Moreover, we present a decidable sufficient condition to have free semigroups in an automaton group. A series of examples and applications is widely discussed, in particular we show a way to color the De Bruijn automata into Mealy aut…
A group is Markov if it admits a prefix-closed regular language of unique representatives with respect to some generating set, and strongly Markov if it admits such a language of unique minimal-length representatives over every generating set. This paper considers the natural generalizations of these concepts to semigroups and monoids. Two distinct potential generalizations to monoids are shown to be equivalent. Various interesting examples are presented, including an example of a non-Markov monoid that nevertheless admits a regular language of unique representatives over any generating set. I…
Cesaro convergence of spherical averages is proven for measure-preserving actions of Markov semigroups and groups. Convergence in the mean is established for functions in $L^p$, $1\le p<\infty$, and pointwise convergence for functions in $L^\infty$. In particular, for measure-preserving actions of word hyperbolic groups (in the sense of Gromov) we obtain Cesaro convergence of spherical averages with respect to any symmetric set of generators.
Given a group $X$ we study the algebraic structure of the compact right-topological semigroup $λ(X)$ consisting of maximal linked systems on $X$. This semigroup contains the semigroup $β(X)$ of ultrafilters as a closed subsemigroup. We construct a faithful representation of the semigroup $λ(X)$ in the semigroup of all self-maps of the power-set of $X$ and using this representation describe the structure of minimal ideal and minimal left ideals of $λ(X)$ for each twinic group $X$. The class of twinic groups includes all amenable groups and all groups with periodic commutators but does not inclu…
We show that an automaton group or semigroup is infinite if and only if it admits an $ω$-word (i. e. a right-infinite word) with an infinite orbit, which solves an open problem communicated to us by Ievgen V. Bondarenko. In fact, we prove a generalization of this result, which can be applied to show that finitely generated subgroups and subsemigroups as well as principal left ideals of automaton semigroups are infinite if and only if there is an $ω$ -word with an infinite orbit under their action. The proof also shows some interesting connections between the automaton semigroup and its dual. F…
