An analogue of distributivity for ungraded lattices (Q862986)

All lattices studied in this paper are finite. A lattice which has a chain of \(n+1\) elements and exactly \(n\) join-irreducibles and \(n\) meet-irreducibles is called extremal. An element \(x\) of a lattice \(L\) is said to be left modular if for any \(y< z\) in \(L\), \((y\vee x)\wedge z=y\vee (x\wedge z)\). Now, a lattice is said to be left modular if it has a maximal chain of elements all of which are left modular. Eventually, a lattice is trim if it is both left modular and extremal. (Distributive lattices are trim.) A lattice is called graded if every maximal chain in a given interval is of the same cardinality. The author investigates trim lattices. Main results: (1) If \(L\) is trim, then so are its intervals. (2) If \(L\) is trim, then so are its sublattices which contain its left modular chain. (3) If \(G\) is a group which acts on a trim lattice \(L\) by lattice automorphisms, then \(L^G\), the sublattice of \(L\) consisting of the elements fixed by \(G\), is again trim. (4) The Cambrian lattices (see [\textit{N. Reading}, ``Cambrian lattices'', Adv. Math. 205, No. 2, 313--353 (2006; Zbl 1106.20033)]) of type A and B are trim.