A compactness property of the \(k\)-abelian monoids (Q2192368)

Two finite words are \(k\)-abelian equivalent if the same number of factors of length up to \(k\) occur in both words. This refinement of abelian equivalence has been extensively studied in the recent years. The quotient of \(\Sigma^*\) by the \(k\)-abelian equivalence is a monoid equipped with the product of classes defined by \([u]_k\cdot [v]_k=[uv]_k\). Equations can be defined for any semigroup. A semigroup \(S\) is said to possess the \textit{compactness property} if any system of equations \(E\) over \(S\) with a finite number of variables has a finite equivalent subsystem \(E\). The authors prove that the \(k\)-abelian monoid has this compactness property. In the second part of the paper, they show that there exists a uniform upper bound on the number of equations of an independent system of equations. For \(k\) fixed, the size of an independent system of equations has a polynomial upper bound with respect to the number of unknowns. On the other hand, the upper bound is exponential when the number of unknowns is fixed and \(k\) is allowed to vary.