Half-isomorphisms of Moufang loops. (Q906858)

Let \(Q\) and \(Q'\) be loops. A mapping \(\varphi\colon Q\to Q'\) is a half-homomorphism if, for every \(x,y\in Q\), either \(\varphi(xy)=\varphi x\cdot\varphi y\) or \(\varphi(xy)=\varphi y\cdot\varphi x\), and a bijective half-homomorphism is called a half-isomorphism. In this paper half-isomorphisms of loops are investigated. The starting point of this investigation is a theorem by R. W. Scott: Every half-isomorphism of a group \(G\) onto a group \(G'\) is either an isomorphism or an anti-isomorphism. Scott showed by a counterexample that this result does not directly generalize to loops. But it is an interesting question for which classes of loops a similar theorem holds. For example, Gagola and Giuliani stated the following theorem: If \(Q\) and \(Q'\) are finite Moufang loops of odd order, then every half-isomorphism of \(Q\) onto \(Q'\) is either an isomorphism or an anti-isomorphism. Here the following generalization is shown: If the squaring map \(xN\mapsto x^2N\) in the factor loop \(Q/N\) of a Moufang loop \(Q\) over its nucleus \(N=N(Q)\) is surjective, then every half-isomorphism of \(Q\) onto a Moufang loop is either an isomorphism or an anti-isomorphism. In order to prove this main theorem neccessary conditions for the existence of a proper half-isomorphism \(\varphi\colon Q\to Q'\) between Moufang loops \(Q\) and \(Q'\) are described considering so-called Scott triples \((a,b,c)\) with elements \(a,b,c\in Q\). A half-isomorphism is called a proper half-isomorphism if it is neither an isomorphism nor an anti-isomorphism. Finally, some open hypotheses and generalizations of the main theorem are discussed. So it is shown that the kernel of a half-homomorphism of loops is a subloop. On the other hand, it is not known whether the kernel of a half-homomorphism of a Moufang loop \(Q\) into a loop \(Q'\) is necessarily normal in \(Q\).