Dualizable algebras with parallelogram terms (Q2520769)

Natural duality theory investigates categorical dualities that are mediated by finite algebras. One of the main goals of the theory is to identify those finite algebras that can serve as character algebras for a duality. Such algebras are called dualizable. Although general criteria for dualizability are known, the problem of identifying the finite algebras satisfying the criteria is still difficult. The broadest natural class of algebras where the problem has been solved is the class of finite algebras \(A\) such that the prevariety \(SP(A)\) has a tame congruence-theoretic typeset contained, for example, in [\textit{D. M. Clark} and \textit{B. A. Davey}, Natural dualities for the working algebraist. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (1998; Zbl 0910.08001)]. According to \textit{B. A. Davey} et al. [Algebra Univers. 33, No. 3, 428--439 (1995; Zbl 0824.08007)], a finite algebra satisfying this assumption is dualizable if and only if it has a near unanimity (NU) term operation. Recently \textit{M. Moore} [Algebra Univers. 75, No. 2, 221--230 (2016; Zbl 1384.08003)] shows that if a finite algebra omits the tame congruence-theoretic typeset \(\mathbf{1}\) and \(\mathbf{5}\) (see [\textit{D. Hobby} and \textit{R. McKenzie}, The structure of finite algebra. Providence, RI: American Mathematical Society (1988; Zbl 0721.08001)]) and the algebra is dualizable, then it must have a cube term. The authors investigate the broader class of finite algebras \(A\) such that the prevariety \(SP(A)\) has tame congruence-theoretic typeset. There is a natural analogue of an NU term operation to be involved in the article, called a parallelogram term operation, which was introduced by these authors in [Int. J. Algebra Comput. 22, No. 1, 1250005, 30 p. (2012; Zbl 1286.08002)]. Since every variety with a parallelogram term is congruence modular (see the same), the authors define the concept of the split centralizer condition through the use of the basic well-known properties of the commutator operation on congruence lattices of algebras. They prove that if \(A\) is a finite algebra with a parallelogram term that satisfies the split centralizer condition, then \(A\) is dualizable. This yet yields another proof of the dualizability of any finite algebra with an NU term, but more importantly proves that every finite module, group or ring in a residually small variety is dualizable.