Apéry sets and the ideal class monoid of a numerical semigroup (Q6141288)

In this paper, the authors study the ideal class monoid $C_{(S)}$ of a numerical semigroup $S$ as initiated by \textit{V. Barucci} and \textit{F. Khouja} [Semigroup Forum 92, No. 2, 377--392 (2016; Zbl 1384.20046)]. The new bounds on the cardinality of $C_{(S)}$ are proved here and it is shown to be isomorphic to the monoid of ideals of S containing the smallest element 0. Also the relationships among $C_{(S)}$, Apéry sets and the Kunz coordinates of $S$ are established here. Some combinatorial and algebraic properties of $C_{(S)}$, including the reduction number of ideals and the Hasse diagrams of $C_{(S)}$ with respect to inclusion and addition are the key observations in the paper. The recovery of some notable invariants of $C_{(S)}$ is highlighted here in terms of these diagrams. Some results on irreducible elements, atoms, quarks and primes of $(C_{(S)}, +)$ are also derived here. As a consequence, idempotent ideals become coincident with over-semigroups as well as idempotent quarks correspond to unitary extensions of the semigroup. Furthermore, the authors establish a necessary and sufficient condition for a numerical semigroup to be irreducible in terms of the number of quarks and it is at-most two. The paper contains a resourceful reference list at the end.