Asymptotic growth of free spectra of band monoids. (Q2460061)

The free spectrum of a variety of algebras is the sequence \(f_n\) of cardinalities of its free algebras of rank \(1,2,3,\dots\). The free spectrum \(f_n^A\) of a finite algebra \(A\) is that of the variety it generates. It is well known that in this case \(f_n^A\leq 2^{2^{cn}}\) for all \(n\), for some constant \(c\). If this bound is achieved asymptotically, \(A\) is said to be log-exponential, and otherwise sub-log-exponential. Motivation for paying special attention to the free spectra of monoids was provided by \textit{K. A. Kearnes} [Algebra Univers. 42, No. 3, 165-182 (1999; Zbl 0978.08006)], who showed that for any finite algebra, the free spectrum of its ``twin monoid'' provides considerable information about that of the algebra itself. For finite groups, there is a sharp dichotomy: if a group is not log-exponential, then it is log-polynomial (in the asymptotic sense). For finite monoids, this dichotomy no longer holds. For instance, for the monoid \(B_2\) obtained by adjoining an identity element to the two-element left zero semigroup, \(\log f_n^{B_2}\) is asymptotically equivalent to \(n\log n\); the question has been raised as to whether this is the only case in addition to those that hold for groups. The authors answer this question in the negative by showing that for the subdirectly irreducible band monoids \(B_k\), \(k=2,3,\dots\) introduced and studied by \textit{J. A. Gerhard} [Semigroup Forum 5, 362-369 (1973; Zbl 0258.20065)], \(\log f_n^{B_k}\) is asymptotically equivalent to \(n^{k-1}\log n\). The authors point out that Gerhard, in a prior paper [\textit{J. A. Gerhard}, J. Algebra 18, 366-376 (1971; Zbl 0219.20044)], essentially computed the free spectra of band varieties. However, a number of typographical errors in that paper led them to conclude that an independent proof of these asymptotic results was desirable.