The semigroup of binary relations and quasi regularity (Q1300533)

A \(\mathcal D\)-class \(D\) is called quasi regular if there exist idempotents \(e\) and \(f\) such that \(D=L_eaR_f\) for some \(a\in D\). Regular \(\mathcal D\)-classes are quasi regular. A binary relation \(\alpha\subset X\times X\) can be represented by a Boolean matrix. Then \(\alpha\) is called reduced when no nonzero row (column) of this matrix is the Boolean sum of other rows (columns). A \(\mathcal D\)-class of \({\mathcal B}_X\), the semigroup of all binary relations on \(X\), is quasi regular if it contains a reduced relation. If \(X\) is finite, then \({\mathcal B}_X\) is quasi regular. The authors consider the problem of embedding a lattice of sets into a completely distributive lattice of sets and consider examples illustrating how the concepts and results of the paper help clarify the structure of \({\mathcal B}_4\), the semigroup of binary relations on a four-element set.