Left maximal idempotents in \(G^\ast\) (Q2251897)

The author answers two questions. One of them was a long standing question. These questions are: Question 9.25. Can it be shown in \textbf{ZFC} that \(\mathbb{Z}^*\) contains left maximal idempotents? Question 9.26. Are there any idempotents in \(\mathbb{Z}^*\) which are both minimal and maximal? In fact, the author proves in \textbf{ZFC}, the system of usual axioms of set theory, that: Theorem 1.1. There is a principal left ideal of \(\beta G\) which is both minimal and maximal. In dynamical terms, Theorem 1.1 can be rephrased as follows: There is an orbit closure of \(G^*\) which is both minimal and maximal. So by Theorem 1.1, there are left maximal idempotents in \(G^*=\beta G-G\). Furthermore, there are idempotents in \(G^*\) which are both minimal and left maximal. As an immediate consequence, in the case \(G =\mathbb{Z}\), this gives us the affirmative answers to above questions.