The Jónsson-Kiefer property (Q2433097)

A lattice \(L\) is meet distributive iff \(L\) satisfies \(u = x\wedge y = x\wedge z\) implies that \(u = x\wedge (y\vee z). \) The concept of a lattice being join semi-distributive is the dual of that one just defined. One says that \(a = \bigwedge C\) canonically if \(a =\bigwedge C\) irredundantly and whenever \(a = \wedge B\), then \(C\) refines \(B\) in the sense that for each \(c\in C\) there exists \(b\in B\) such that \(c\geq b.\) An element \(p\) of a lattice \(L\) is meet-prime if \(p< 1\) and \(p\geq x\wedge y\) implies that \(p\geq x\) and \(p\geq y\). Dually, \(p\) is join-prime if \(p > 0\) and \(p\leq x\vee y\) implies that \(p\leq x\) or \(p\leq y\). \textit{B. Jónsson} and \textit{J. E. Kiefer} [Can. J. Math. 14, 487--497 (1962; Zbl 0107.25202)] observed that in a finite join semi-distributive lattice, the canonical joinands of \(1\) are join-prime. The Jónsson and Kiefer property has arisen naturally in a number of settings. For example, V. A. Gorbunov and his co-researchers deeply investigated the Birkhoff-Mal'tsev problem which asks for a characterization of the lattices isomorphic to the lattice \(L({\mathcal K})\) of all sub-quasivarieties of \({\mathcal K}\) for some quasivariety \({\mathcal K}\). Among their first discoveries was the fact that these lattices are dually algebraic lattices with the Jónsson and Kiefer property. Also, if a lattice satisfies the Jónsson and Kiefer property, then it is join semi-distributive. In the paper under review, the authors investigate conditions under which the least element of an algebraic, meet semi-distributive lattice is a (complete) meet of meet-prime elements. For example, they prove that this is true if the lattice has only countably many compact elements, or if \(| L| < 2^{\aleph_0}\), or if \(L\) is in the variety generated by a finite meet semi-distributive lattice. Finally, they give an example of an algebraic, meet semi-distributive lattice that has no meet-prime element or join-prime element.