Left reductive congruences on semigroups. (Q372360)

A semigroup \(S\) is called a \textit{left reductive semigroup} if, for all elements \(a,b\in S\), \(xa=xb\) for all \(x\in S\) implies \(a=b\). A congruence \(\rho\) on \(S\) is called a \textit{left reductive congruence} if the factor semigroup \(S/\rho\) is left reductive. Let \(\rho\) be a congruence on \(S\). The author constructs the sequence \(\rho^{(0)}\subseteq\rho^{(1)}\subseteq\cdots\subseteq\rho^{(n)}\cdots\) of congruences on \(S\), where \(\rho^{(0)}=\rho\), and, for an arbitrary non-negative integer \(n\in\mathbb N\), \(a,b\in S\), \((a,b)\in\rho^{(n+1)}\) if and only if \((xa,xb)\in\rho^{(n)}\) for all \(x\in S\). The author proves that the union of this sequence \(\bigcup_{i= 0}^\infty\rho^{(i)}\) is contained in the least left reductive congruence on \(S\) containing \(\rho\). But they are not equal in general. In this paper the author focuses his attention on congruences \(\rho\) on \(S\) for which the congruence \(\bigcup_{i= 0}^\infty\rho^{(i)}\) is a left reductive congruence on \(S\) and proves that \(\bigcup_{i= 0}^\infty\rho^{(i)}\) is a left reductive congruence on \(S\) if and only if \(\bigcup_{i= 0}^\infty\iota_{(S/\rho)}^{(i)}\) is a left reductive congruence on the factor semigroup \(S/\rho\), where \(\iota_{(S/\rho)}\) denotes the identity relation on \(S/\rho\). For a Noetherian semigroup or a semigroup with \(S^n=S^{n+1}\) for some \(n\in\mathbb N\), the universal relation on \(S\) is the only left reductive congruence on \(S\) if and only if \(S\) is an ideal extension of a left zero semigroup by a nilpotent semigroup. In particular, if \(S\) is a commutative Noetherian semigroup, then the universal relation on \(S\) is the only left reductive congruence on \(S\) if and only if \(S\) is a finite commutative nilpotent semigroup. Finally the author presents three open questions with respect to a left reductive congruence on \(S\).