Covers for regular semigroups and an application to complexity (Q1910739)

Let \(S\) be a regular semigroup, \(V(x)\) the set of inverses of \(x\in S\). The core \(C(S)=\langle E(S)\rangle\) is the subsemigroup generated by the set \(E(S)\) of idempotents of \(S\), \(C_c(S)=\langle xC(S) x';\;x'\in V(x),\;x\in S\rangle\). The self-conjugate core \(C_\infty(S)=C_{cc\dots} (S);\) \(C_\infty(S)\) is the least self-conjugate full subsemigroup of \(S\). A subsemigroup \(A\) of a regular semigroup \(S\) is unitary iff for each \(a\in A\), \(s\in S\), from \(as\in A\) or \(sa\in A\) it follows that \(s\in A\). It is proved, that any regular semigroup is a homomorphic image of a regular semigroup with a unitary self-conjugate core, where the homomorphism separates the self-conjugate core. A regular semigroup is \(E\)-solid if its idempotent generated subsemigroup is completely regular; this is equivalent to the condition that the self-conjugate core is completely regular. For a finite \(E\)-solid regular semigroup \(S\), the cover can be chosen to be also finite and \(E\)-solid; and the group complexity \(Sc\) of \(S\) is within the bounds \((C_\infty(S)) c\leq Sc\leq(C_\infty(S))c+1\).