Near-Rings of Invariants. II (Q4032498)

The general situation considered is a generalization of that considered by \textit{P. Fuchs} [in Result. Math. 17, 256-271 (1990; Zbl 0702.16024)] and also of that considered by the author and \textit{L. van Wyck} in Part I [ibid. 18, 286-297 (1990; Zbl 0718.16038)]. Let \(X\) be a set, \(G\) a group acting on \(X\), \(E\) the equivalence relation determined by the orbits of \(G\) on \(X\), \(K\) a group, \(\phi\) a ``sandwich'' function from \(K\) to \(X\). Then \(M(X,E,K,\phi)\) is the near-ring of mappings from \(X\) to \(K\), which are constant on each equivalence class in \(E\), with addition defined pointwise and the product defined by \(f*g = f \phi g\), using the usual composition of functions. This generalizes the near-rings considered in the two papers mentioned above as well as other cases. After some general results, the author shows that the situation can be reduced to the full sandwich near-ring \(M(X/E, K, \psi)\) where \(\psi : K \to X/E\) is defined in terms of \(\phi\) and \(E\). This near-ring has an identity if and only if \(\psi\) is a bijection. In that case \(M\) is isomorphic to \(M(K)\) and so the group of units consists of the permutations of \(K\). Now let \(U\) be the set of normal subgroups \(H\) of \(K\) such that each \(\psi^{-1} \psi(y)\) consists of the union of cosets of \(H\). If \(| X/E| < \infty\), then \(M(X/E, K, \psi)\) is simple if and only if \(| K|\geq 3\), \(\psi\) is surjective and \(U = \{\{0\}\}\). A very similar result is obtained for \((M,M)\)-simplicity, that is that \(M\) contains no non-trivial proper two-sided invariant subgroups. The final set of results concerns \(K\) as an \(M\)-module where if \(k \in K\), \(f \in M\) then \(fk = f(\psi(k))\). First we see that \(K\) is faithful if and only if \(\psi\) is surjective. Then we see that \(K\) is \(\nu\)-primitive if and only if \(\psi\) is surjective and \(U = \{\{0\}\}\), for \(\nu = 0, 1\). Also the \(M\)-ideals of \(K\) are identified.