Theory of 2-structures. I: Clans, basic subclasses, and morphisms (Q913822)

A 2-structure is a pair (D,R), where D is a nonempty finite set and R is an equivalence relation on \(E_ 2(D)=\{(x,y)\); \(x\neq y\), x,y\(\in D\}\). (The notion is a generalization of a graph as well as a restriction of a relational structure.) This is the first part of the paper that develops the theory of 2- structures. Here the notion of a clan is introduced and studied: A subset \(X\subseteq D\) is a clan of a 2-structure (D,R) if for all x,y\(\in X\) and \(z\in D\setminus X\), (z,x)R(z,y) and (x,z)R(y,z). (The notion of a clan corresponds to the notion of a factor in an algebra.) Further, special 2- structures are defined and treated; these are primitive, complete and linear 2-structures. Finally, the notion of a morphism between two 2-structures is introduced and studied. This study leads in Part II to the decomposition theory of 2-structures (cf. the review below).