The algebra of essential relations on a finite set. (Q256959)

Let \(X\) be a set of cardinality \(n\). Then the relations on \(X\) form a monoid with respect to composition. The authors investigate the corresponding monoid algebra \(\mathcal R\) over a commutative ring \(k\). They call a relation on \(X\) inessential if it factors through a set \(Y\) with \(|Y|<n\). Then the \(k\)-linear combinations of inessential relations on \(X\) form a nilpotent ideal \(I\) of \(\mathcal R\). Thus the residue classes of the essential (i.e. not inessential) relations on \(X\) form a \(k\)-basis of \(\mathcal E:=\mathcal R/I\). Here \(\mathcal E\) is called the essential algebra of \(X\). The authors construct a nilpotent ideal \(N\) of \(\mathcal E\) and show that the \(k\)-algebra \(\mathcal P:=\mathcal E/N\) is the skew group algebra of \(\Sigma\), the symmetric group on \(X\), with a \(k\)-algebra \(\mathcal P_1\). Moreover, \(\mathcal P_1\) is isomorphic to a direct product of copies of \(k\), and the factors in this direct product are parametrized by the partial orders on \(X\). Hence \(\mathcal P\) is a direct product of \(k\)-algebras where the factors are parametrized by the \(\Sigma\)-orbits on the set of partial orders on \(X\). For any partial order \(R\) on \(X\), the corresponding factor of \(\mathcal P\) is isomorphic to a matrix algebra of degree \(|\Sigma:\Sigma_R|\) over the group algebra \(k\Sigma_R\) where \(\Sigma_R\) denotes the stabilizer of \(R\) in \(\Sigma\). These results lead to a parametrization of the simple \(\mathcal E\)-modules.