Hopfian and co-Hopfian subsemigroups and extensions. (Q488818)

An algebra is Hopfian (co-Hopfian) if any surjective (resp. injective) endomorphism is an automorphism. The Rees (Green) index of a subsemigroup \(T\) of a semigroup \(S\) is \(|S-T|+1\) (resp. the number of \(T\)-relative \(\mathcal H\)-classes in \(S-T\); the \(T\)-relative Green relations are defined by \(x\mathcal R^Ty\Leftrightarrow xT^1=yT^1\), \(x\mathcal L^Ty\Leftrightarrow T^1x=T^1y\), \(\mathcal H^T=\mathcal R^T\cap\mathcal L^T\)). Several examples are provided and it is shown, that if a subsemigroup \(T\) of a semigroup \(S\) is finitely generated, has finite Rees index and is co-Hopfian, then \(S\) is also co-Hopfian and the condition of finite generation is essential. It is posed as an open question whether in this result the Rees index could be replaced with Green index (this subsumes also corresponding question for group extensions).