Endomorphic actions of \(\beta{} {\mathbb{N}{}}\) on the torus group (Q1176623)

For a fixed \(a\in\mathbb{N}\) with \(a>2\), the endomorphism \(w\mapsto w^ a\) of \(\mathbb{T}\) generates (by iteration) a flow \((\mathbb{N},\mathbb{T})\) with enveloping semigroup \(E:=\mathbb{N}^ -\subset\mathbb{T}^ \mathbb{T}\). The author starts here with the perhaps surprising observation that the natural continuous homomorphism of \(\beta\mathbb{N}\) onto \(E\) is an isomorphism. From this observation he is able to derive a number of conclusions, some new and some already known. Here are three: 1. If \(M\subset\mathbb{N}\) is such that the difference between adjacent members of \(M\) tends to \(\infty\), then the set of free ultrafilters on \(M\) gives a free subset of the remainder \(\mathbb{N}^*\). 2. There are Cantor sets \(C\subset\mathbb{T}\) such that any function (continuous or not) from \(C\) into \(\mathbb{T}\) is the restriction to \(C\) of some member of \(\beta\mathbb{N}\) (\(\cong E\)). 3. \(\beta\mathbb{N}\) contains closed subsemigroups of which there is a continuous homomorphism onto \(C^ C\).