Decidable discriminator varieties with lattice stalks (Q1319051)

If \(\mathcal K\) is any universal class of algebras w.r.t. a language \(L\), choose a ternary operation symbol \(t\) outside \(L\) and let \({\mathcal K}^ t\) be the class of all \(L(t)\) expansions of algebras in \(\mathcal K\). Then \({\mathcal V}({\mathcal K}^ t)\), the variety generated by \({\mathcal K}^ t\), is a discriminator variety, and every discriminator variety is definitionally equivalent to some \({\mathcal V} ({\mathcal K}^ t)\). The main result of this paper states that for \(\mathcal K\) a universal class of lattices, \({\mathcal V}({\mathcal K}^ t)\) is decidable iff \(\mathcal K\) does not contain the chain of rationals (under the usual order) nor one of three close derivates of \(M_ \omega\), the modular lattice consisting of top, bottom and \(\omega\) atoms. The proof rests on a subtle analysis of ``finite perturbations'' of homogeneity in the algebras under consideration. Roughly, it is shown that the result of \textit{S. Burris}, \textit{R. McKenzie} and \textit{M. Valeriote} [J. Symb. Log. 56, No. 4, 1355-1368 (1991; Zbl 0747.08008)], that \({\mathcal V}({\mathcal K}^ t)\) is decidable provided \(\mathcal K\) is locally finite, finitely axiomatizable, universal and consists of homogeneous algebras, continues to hold if the requirement of homogeneity is weakened in certain finite situations. The actual definitions are too complex to be stated here; nevertheless, they provide evidence that the watershed separating decidability and undecidability for locally finite discriminator varieties may be described in terms of weak forms of homogeneity. See also the author's preceding paper ``Decidable discriminator varieties from unary classes'' [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 336, No. 1, 311-333 (1993; Zbl 0776.03013)].