Some quasi-ordered classes of finite commutative semigroups (Q1071109)

A quasi-ordering on a set S is called well quasi-ordering (wqo) if every strictly descending chain and every anti-chain are finite. For a set S with a quasi-order \(\leq\), the power set P(S) inherits the quasi-order defined by: \(A\leq B\) if for every \(x\in A\) there is \(y\in B\) so that \(x\leq y\). Define \(P^ 0(S)=S\), \(P^{a+1}(S)=P(P^ a(S))\) and for a limit ordinal b, \(P^ b(S)=\cup \{P^ a(S):\) \(a<b\}\). (S,\(\leq)\) is a better quasi-ordering (pqo) if every \(P^ a(S)\) is wqo. A pseudo-variety is a class of finite commutative semigroups closed under subsemigroups, homomorphic images and finite Cartesian products. The following are quasi-orderings: \(A\leq_ EB\) iff A is isomorphic to a subsemigroup of B, \(A\leq_ QB\) iff A is a homomorphic image of B, and \(A\leq_ DB\) iff A is a homomorphic image of a subsemigroup of B. Theorem: For a pseudo-variety of commutative semigroups V, the following conditions are equivalent: a) V is wqo under one of \(\leq_ E\), \(\leq_ Q\), \(\leq_ D\), b) V is bqo under each of the quasi-orders in a), c) Either V is defined by \(xy=0\) or V is a pseudo-variety of finite groups containing not more than a finite number of cyclic groups of prime order.