Monoids Mon⟨a,b:aαbβaγbδaεbφ=b⟩\mathrm{Mon}\langle a,b:a^{\alpha}b^{\beta}a^{\gamma}b^{\delta}a^{\varepsilon}b^{\varphi}=b\rangle admit finite complete rewriting systems

The aim of this note is to prove that monoids $\mathrm{Mon}\langle a,b:aUb=b\rangle$, with $aUb$ of relative length 6, admit finite complete rewriting systems. This is some advance in the understanding the long-standing open problem whether the word problem for one-relator monoids is soluble

Crystallizing the hypoplactic monoid: from quasi-Kashiwara operators to the Robinson--Schensted--Knuth-type correspondence for quasi-ribbon tableaux

Crystal graphs, in the sense of Kashiwara, carry a natural monoid structure given by identifying words labelling vertices that appear in the same position of isomorphic components of the crystal. In the particular case of the crystal graph for the $q$-analogue of the special linear Lie algebra $\mathfrak{sl}_{n}$, this monoid is the celebrated plactic monoid, whose elements can be identified with Young tableaux. The crystal graph and the so-called Kashiwara operators interact beautifully with the combinatorics of Young tableaux and with the Robinson--Schensted--Knuth correspondence and so provide powerful combinatorial tools to work with them. This paper constructs an analogous `quasi-crystal' structure for the hypoplactic monoid, whose elements can be identified with quasi-ribbon tableaux and whose connection with the theory of quasi-symmetric functions echoes the connection of the plactic monoid with the theory of symmetric functions. This quasi-crystal structure and the associated quasi-Kashiwara operators are shown to interact just as neatly with the combinatorics of quasi-ribbon tableaux and with the hypoplactic version of the Robinson--Schensted--Knuth correspondence. A study is then made of the interaction of the crystal graph of the plactic monoid and the quasi-crystal graph for the hypoplactic monoid. Finally, the quasi-crystal structure is applied to prove some new results about the hypoplactic monoid.Comment: 55 pages. Minor revision to fix typos, add references, and discuss an open questio

Automaton semigroups: new construction results and examples of non-automaton semigroups

This paper studies the class of automaton semigroups from two perspectives: closure under constructions, and examples of semigroups that are not automaton semigroups. We prove that (semigroup) free products of finite semigroups always arise as automaton semigroups, and that the class of automaton monoids is closed under forming wreath products with finite monoids. We also consider closure under certain kinds of Rees matrix constructions, strong semilattices, and small extensions. Finally, we prove that no subsemigroup of $(\mathbb{N}, +)$ arises as an automaton semigroup. (Previously, $(\mathbb{N},+)$ itself was the unique example of a finitely generated residually finite semigroup that was known not to arise as an automaton semigroup.)Comment: 27 pages, 6 figures; substantially revise

Hopfian and co-hopfian subsemigroups and extensions

This paper investigates the preservation of hopficity and co-hopficity on passing to finite-index subsemigroups and extensions. It was already known that hopficity is not preserved on passing to finite Rees index subsemigroups, even in the finitely generated case. We give a stronger example to show that it is not preserved even in the finitely presented case. It was also known that hopficity is not preserved in general on passing to finite Rees index extensions, but that it is preserved in the finitely generated case. We show that, in contrast, hopficity is not preserved on passing to finite Green index extensions, even within the class of finitely presented semigroups. Turning to co-hopficity, we prove that within the class of finitely generated semigroups, co-hopficity is preserved on passing to finite Rees index extensions, but is not preserved on passing to finite Rees index subsemigroups, even in the finitely presented case. Finally, by linking co-hopficity for graphs to co-hopficity for semigroups, we show that without the hypothesis of finite generation, co-hopficity is not preserved on passing to finite Rees index extensions.Comment: 15 pages; 3 figures. Revision to fix minor errors and add summary table