The lattice of positive quasi-orders on a semigroup (Q1359987)

A quasi-order is a reflexive transitive binary relation. A relation \(\xi\) on a semigroup \(S\) is called positive if \(a\xi ab\) and \(b\xi ab\) for all \(a,b\in S\). In this paper the authors study positive quasi-orders of semigroups from the point of the sets of ideals and describe all semilattice homomorphic images of semigroups. A subset \(K\) of a lattice \(L\) is called closed if it is closed both for meets and joins. If \(L\) is a lattice with unity, then any closed sublattice of \(L\) containing its unity is called a completely closed sublattice of \(L\). If \(a^2\xi a\) for each \(a\in S\), \(\xi\) is lower-potent, and if for every \(a,b,c\in S\), \(a\xi c\) and \(b\xi c\) implies \(ab\xi c\), then \(\xi\) is said to have \(cm\)-property. Let \({\mathcal I}d(S)\) denote the lattice of all ideals of a semigroup \(S\), and \({\mathcal I}d^{cs}(S)\) the lattice of all completely semiprime ideals of \(S\). A sublattice \(K\) of \({\mathcal I}d^{cs}(S)\) has \(cpi\)-property if the set of all completely prime ideals of \(S\) that are elements of \(K\) is meet-dense in \(K\). The results of this paper are: (1) The poset of positive quasi-orders on \(S\) is anti-isomorphic to the lattice of completely closed sublattices of \({\mathcal I}d(S)\). (2) The poset of lower-potent quasi-orders on \(S\) is anti-isomorphic to the lattice of completely closed sublattices of \({\mathcal I}d^{cs}(S)\). (3) The poset of positive quasi-orders on \(S\) satisfying the \(cm\)-property is anti-isomorphic to the poset of completely closed sublattices of \({\mathcal I}d^{cs}(S)\) satisfying the \(cpi\)-property. The main theorem is: (4) A semilattice \(Y\) is a semilattice homomorphic image of \(S\) if and only if \(Y\) is isomorphic to the principal part of some completely closed sublattice of \({\mathcal I}d^{cs}(S)\) having the \(cpi\)-property. In particular, the principal part of \({\mathcal I}d^{cs}(S)\) is the greatest semilattice homomorphic image of \(S\). As a special case the authors characterize positive linear quasi-orders in terms of completely prime ideals. This paper develops the reviewer's paper [Math. Nachr. 68, 201-220 (1975; Zbl 0325.06002)] and the terminologies positive, lower potent and \(cm\)-property come from there.