The product representation theorem for interlaced pre-bilattices: some historical remarks. (Q2443681)

The item under review is a survey of the history of two mathematical communities working on similar problems without any bilateral contact. To be more precise, the first community (in chronological order) has been working on a lattice-theoretical problem proposed by \textit{G. Birkhoff} in his monograph Lattice Theory (Problem No. 8 in the 2nd ed. (1948; Zbl 0033.10103) or Problem No. 6 in the 3rd one (1967; Zbl 0153.02501)). The first group will be referred to the lattice community. The second group is the bilattice community. In order to better understand the ``Product Representation Theorem'' and the bilattice community terminology (for instance \textit{two factor decomposition of a lattice} or \textit{interlaced pre-bilattice}), we present some results of the lattice community in more detail: (1) Let \(L_1\) be a finite modular (distributive) lattice. Let \(L_2\) be a finite lattice such that unoriented graphs \(G(L_1)\) and \(G(L_2)\) are isomorphic. Then \(L_2\) is modular (distributive). Moreover, there exist lattices \(K\) and \(M\) such that \(L_1=K\times M\) and \(L_2=K\times M^d\), where \(M^d\) means the dual lattice of \(M\). (2) The lattices \(K\) and \(M\) are self-dual. (3) If \(h\colon L_1\to L_2\) is a graph isomorphism, \(f\colon L_1\to K\times M\) and \(g\colon L_2\to K\times M^d\) are lattice isomorphisms, then \(f=h\circ g\) is a lattice isomorphism between \(L_1\) and \(L_2\). Reviewer's notes. (a) The formulation of Birkhoff's Problem 6 in the 3rd ed. of LT differs from that of Problem 8: \textit{Determine all finite lattices in which every graph-automorphism is a lattice-automorphism. (A. G. Waterman)} (b) The author remarks that some relevant papers from the 1950s were published in Russian. The reader can find in the references only two names which fit the given condition: J. Jakubik and M. Kolibiar. As an explanation, I can say that in the 1950s it was difficult for an author in Czechoslovakia to publish in any foreign language. Normally, the papers were submitted in Czech or Slovak and the editorial board after the referring process could approve the publication in a foreign language, but mostly in Russian.