A sufficient condition for the Hanna Neumann property of submonoids of a free monoid. (Q1955591)

In the introduction of the paper the authors write: ``Howson proved that the intersection of two finitely generated subgroups of a free group is finitely generated [see \textit{A. G. Howson}, J. Lond. Math. Soc. 29, 428-434 (1954; Zbl 0056.02106)]. In 1956, Hanna Neumann proved that if \(H\) and \(K\) are finite rank subgroups of a free group, then \(\widetilde{\mathrm{rk}}(H\cap K)\leq 2\widetilde{\mathrm{rk}}(H)\widetilde{\mathrm{rk}}(K)\), where \(\widetilde{\mathrm{rk}}(N)=\max(0,\mathrm{rk}(N)-1)\) for a subgroup \(N\) of rank \(\mathrm{rk}(N)\). Further, Neumann conjectured that \[ \widetilde{\mathrm{rk}}(H\cap K)\leq\widetilde{\mathrm{rk}}(H)\widetilde{\mathrm{rk}}(K),\tag{*} \] which is known as Hanna Neumann conjecture [\textit{H. Neumann}, Publ. Math., Debrecen 4, 186-189 (1956; Zbl 0070.02001)]. \dots The conjecture has recently been settled by \textit{I. Mineyev} [Ann. Math. (2) 175, No. 1, 393-414 (2012; Zbl 1280.20029)]. \dots Two finitely generated submonoids \(H\) and \(K\) of a free monoid are said to satisfy the \textit{Hanna Neumann property}, if \(H\) and \(K\) satisfy the inequality (*).'' There has been introduced the concept called semi-flower automata [in \textit{L. Giambruno} and \textit{A. Restivo}, Theor. Inform. Appl. 42, No. 3, 503-524 (2008; Zbl 1149.68058)]. In particular, Giambruno and Restivo have obtained the Hanna Neumann property for a special class of submonoids generated by finite prefix sets. In this paper the authors obtain a sufficient condition for the Hanna Neumann property for the entire class of submonoids generated by finite prefix sets. In particular, a general rank formula for the submonoids which are accepted by semi-flower automata is also obtained.