On joins with group congruences

Abstract

Let be an arbitrary semigroup. A congruence γ on is a group congruence if /γ is a group. The set of group congruences on is non-empty since × is a group congruence. The lattice of congruences on a semigroup will be denoted by () and the set of group congruences on will be denoted by (). If () is a lattice then it is modular and γ ∨ ρ = γ ο ρ = ρ ο γ for all γ, ρ ε (). The main result is that γ ν ρ = γ ο ρ ο γ for any γ ε () and ρ ε () (whence every element of the set () is dually right modular in (). This result has appeared, for particular classes of semigroups, many times in the literature. Also γ ν ρ = γ ο ρ ο γ = ρ ο γ ο ρ for all γ, ρ ε () which is similar to the well known result for the join of congruences on a group. Furthermore, if γ ∩ ρ ε () then γ ν ρ = γ ο ρ = ρ ο γ.