Embedding simple commutative monoids into simple refinement monoids (Q1375913)

This paper investigates different embeddings of commutative monoids \((S,+,0)\) such that \(a+b=0\) implies \(a=b=0\), into refinement monoids \((T,+,0)\) satisfying various divisibility conditions. Refinement monoids are defined as commutative monoids \(T\) such that \(a_0+a_1=b_0+b_1\) in \(T\) implies that \(a_0=c_{00}+c_{01}\), \(b_0=c_{00}+c_{10}\), \(a_1=c_{10}+c_{11}\), \(b_1=c_{01}+c_{11}\) for some \(c_{ij}\in T\). In particular, embeddings are studied in the case where \(S\) is simple or separative or cancellative. Also, ``order''-embeddings are dealt with: if \(a\leq_Sb\) (\(a,b\in S\)) is defined by \(b=a+x\) for some \(x\in S\), an injective semigroup homomorphism \(f\colon S\to T\) is called an order-embedding if \(a\leq_Sb\) in \(S\) is equivalent to \(f(a)\leq_Tf(b)\) in \(T\). It is noted that most of the results extend to arbitrary monoids (without being ``conical''). Several applications to the theory of partially ordered groups are given. In particular, the question whether a simple (torsionfree, resp. unperforated), p.o. Abelian group can be embedded into a simple Riesz group (of the same kind) is answered in the positive.