Normal bands and their inverse semigroups of bicongruences (Q1125912)

For a semigroup \(S\) let \(B(S)\) denote the set of all bicongruences on \(S\), i.e., the subsemigroups \(\rho\subseteq S\times S\) such that \(\rho\circ\rho^{-1}\circ\rho =\rho\) and \(\text{dom }\rho=S=\text{ran }\rho\) (where \(\circ\) denotes the product of relations). Notice that each \(\rho\in B(S)\) corresponds to an isomorphism between some quotient semigroups of \(S\). Also, \(B(S)\) contains both the congruence lattice of \(S\) and its automorphism group. With respect to the operation \(\rho\cdot\sigma\) defined as the bicongruence in \(B(S)\) generated by \(\rho\circ\sigma\), \(B(S)\) forms an inverse semigroup. The paper now studies for normal bands \(S\) the question to which extent \((B(S),\cdot)\) determines the structure of \(S\). First, those normal bands \(S\) are characterized, for which \((B(S),\cdot)\) belongs to special classes of inverse semigroups, as: fundamental, combinatorial, Clifford, or \(0\)-\(E\)-unitary. For example: (i) \((B(S),\cdot)\) is fundamental if and only if \(S\) is a semilattice; (ii) \((B(S),\cdot)\) is combinatorial if and only if \(S\) is a totally ordered semilattice containing no copy of \((Z,\min)\). Furthermore, using the representation of a normal band as strong semilattice \(Y\) of rectangular bands, for two normal bands \(S\) and \(T\) (for which one \(Y\) is a locally finite tree) conditions on their ingredients are found for \(B(S)\) and \(B(T)\) to be isomorphic. Finally, classes \(C\) of (normal) bands are specified such that \(B(S)\cong B(T)\) and \(S,T\in C\) imply that \(S\) and \(T\) are isomorphic or anti-isomorphic, or such that \(B(S)\cong B(T)\) and \(S\in C\) imply that \(T\in C\).