On subdirectly irreducible ordered semigroups (Q1346300)

Let \((S,\cdot, \leq)\) be a partially ordered (p.o.) semigroup. A transitive relation on \(S\) containing \(\leq\) and compatible on both sides with multiplication is called a pseudoorder of \(S\). It is shown that for every pseudoorder there is a congruence on \(S\) such that the factor semigroup is a p.o. semigroup in a quite natural way. The concept of pseudoorder is then used to construct subdirect decompositions of a p.o. semigroup. \((S,\cdot, \leq)\) is called subdirectly irreducible if whenever \(S\) is a subdirect product of p.o. semigroups \(S_ \alpha\) \((\alpha\in A)\) then there exists \(\beta\in A\) such that the projection \(\pi_ \beta\) onto \(S_ \beta\) satisfies: \(\pi_ \beta(x)\leq_ \beta \pi_ \beta(y)\Rightarrow x\leq y\). It is proved that \(S\) is subdirectly irreducible iff the intersection of all pseudoorders different from \(\leq\) on \(S\) is a pseudoorder \(\neq\leq\). In particular, any p.o. semigroup having a least pseudoorder \(\neq\leq\) is subdirectly irreducible. As an application, a decomposition of the additive semigroup of natural numbers ordered in the usual way into a subdirect product of subdirectly irreducible p.o. semigroups is given.