Co-rectangular bands and cosheaves in categories of algebras (Q583356)

Conditions on a category \({\mathfrak C}\) are studied which imply that every structure of rectangular band on an object S of \({\mathfrak C}\) arises from a unique product decomposition \(S=S_ 1\times S_ 2\), especially in the case where \({\mathfrak C}\) is the opposite of a category of algebras. It is shown that this holds in the opposites of the categories of sets, monoids, groups, nonzero associative algebras over a field, and nonzero associative commutative algebras over a field, among others, but not in the opposite of the category of all associative algebras over a field, or of the category of rectangular bands itself. Sheaves on Stone spaces with values in opposites of categories of algebras are examined, including some curious examples in the opposites of the categories of all groups and monoids. The analog of the bounded Boolean power construction \(R[B]^*\), with R an object of a general category, is discussed. The rectangular band structures on the identity functor of any category \({\mathfrak C}\) with finite products commute; hence they form a Boolean ring of ``canonical'' direct product decompositions of all objects in the category. Some examples are noted.