Permutability of normal extensions of a semilattice (Q1176618)

A semigroup \(S\) is called \(m\)-permutable (we write \(S\in P_ m\)) if, for the integer \(m\), every product of \(m\) elements can be re-ordered, and \(S\) is called permutable if \(S\) is \(m\)-permutable for some \(m\) (we write \(S\in P\)). An inverse semigroup \(S\) is called a normal extension of an inverse semigroup \(K\) if \(K\) is isomorphic to a normal (meaning full and self-conjugate) subsemigroup of \(S\). It is proved that every normal extension \(S\) of a finite semilattice \(E\) by an inverse permutable semigroup \(Q\) is permutable, and a bound on the permutability index \(k\) is given in terms of that of \(Q\) and certain height related features of \(E\). If \(E\) is a chain and \(Q\in P_ m\) then \(S\in P_ m\) and \(S\) is a semilattice of groups. Some properties of permutable groups are stated and extended to inverse semigroups: for instance, if the semilattice \(E\) of an \(E\)-unitary inverse semigroup \(S\) is finite then \(S\in P\) if and only if the greatest group image \(S/\sigma\in P\).