Quasi-linear Cycle Sets and the Retraction Problem for Set-theoretic Solutions of the Quantum Yang-Baxter Equation

Abstract

Cycle sets were introduced to reduce non-degenerate unitary Yang-Baxter maps to an algebraic system with a single binary operation. Every finite cycle set extends uniquely to a finite cycle set with a compatible abelian group structure. Etingof et al. introduced affine Yang-Baxter maps. These are equivalent to cycle sets with a specific abelian group structure. Abelian group structures have also been essential to get partial results for the still unsolved retraction problem. We introduce two new classes of cycle sets with an underlying abelian group structure and show that they can be transformed into each other while keeping the group structure fixed. This leads to a proper extension of the retractibility conjecture and new evidence for its truth.