The rank of a semigroup is the cardinality of a smallest generating set. In this paper we compute the rank of the endomorphism monoid of a non-trivial uniform partition of a finite set, that is, the semigroup of those transformations of a finite set that leave a non-trivial uniform partition invariant. That involves proving that the rank of a wreath product of two symmetric groups is two and then use the fact that the endomorphism monoid of a partition is isomorphic to a wreath product of two full transformation semigroups. The calculation of the rank of these semigroups solves an open question.

The rank of the endomorphism monoid of a uniform partition

Let be a partition of a finite set X. We say that a transformation f : X → X preserves (or stabilises) the partition if for all P ∈ there exists Q ∈ such that Pf ⊆ Q. Let T(X, ) denote the semigroup of all full transformations of X that preserve the partition . In 2005 Pei Huisheng found an upper bound for the minimum size of the generating sets of T(X, ), when is a partition in which all of its parts have the same size. In addition, Pei Huisheng conjectured that his bound was exact. In 2009 the first and last authors used representation theory to solve Pei Huisheng's conjecture. The aim of this paper is to solve the more complex problem of finding the minimum size of the generating sets of T(X, ), when is an arbitrary partition. Again we use representation theory to find the minimum number of elements needed to generate the wreath product of finitely many symmetric groups, and then use this result to solve the problem. The paper ends with a number of problems for experts in group and semigroup theories.

The rank of the semigroup of transformations stabilising a partition of a finite set

Let $\mathcal{P}$ be a partition of a finite set $X$. We say that a full transformation $f:X\to X$ preserves (or stabilizes) the partition $\mathcal{P}$ if for all $P\in \mathcal{P}$ there exists $Q\in \mathcal{P}$ such that $Pf\subseteq Q$. Let $T(X,\mathcal{P})$ denote the semigroup of all full transformations of $X$ that preserve the partition $\mathcal{P}$. 
In 2005 Huisheng found an upper bound for the minimum size of the generating sets of $T(X,\mathcal{P})$, when $\mathcal{P}$ is a partition in which all of its parts have the same size. In addition, Huisheng conjectured that his bound was exact. In 2009 the first and last authors used representation theory to completely solve Hisheng's conjecture. 
The goal of this paper is to solve the much more complex problem of finding the minimum size of the generating sets of $T(X,\mathcal{P})$, when $\mathcal{P}$ is an arbitrary partition. Again we use representation theory to find the minimum number of elements needed to generate the wreath product of finitely many symmetric groups, and then use this result to solve the problem. 
The paper ends with a number of problems for experts in group and semigroup theories.

© 2018 American Mathematical Society. The purpose of this paper is to advance our knowledge of two of the most classic and popular topics in transformation semigroups: automorphisms and the size of minimal generating sets. In order to do this, we examine the k-homogeneous permutation groups (those which act transitively on the subsets of size k of their domain X) where |X| = n and k < n/2. In the process we obtain, for k-homogeneous groups, results on the minimum numbers of generators, the numbers of orbits on k-partitions, and their normalizers in the symmetric group. As a sample result, we show that every finite 2-homogeneous group is 2-generated. Underlying our investigations on automorphisms of transformation semigroups is the following conjecture: If a transformation semigroup S contains singular maps and its group of units is a primitive group G of permutations, then its automorphisms are all induced (under conjugation) by the elements in the normalizer of G in the symmetric group. For the special case that S contains all constant maps, this conjecture was proved correct more than 40 years ago. In this paper, we prove that the conjecture also holds for the case of semigroups containing a map of rank 3 or less. The effort in establishing this result suggests that further improvements might be a great challenge. This problem and several additional ones on permutation groups, transformation semigroups, and computational algebra are proposed at the end of the paper.

Orbits of primitive k-homogenous groups on (N − k)-partitions with applications to semigroups

For a finite monoid S, let ν(S) (νd(S)) denote the least number n such that there exists a graph (directed graph) Γ of order n with End(Γ)≅S. Also let rank(S) be the smallest number of elements required to generate S. In this paper, we use Cayley digraphs of monoids, to connect lower bounds of ν(S) (νd(S)) to the lower bounds of rank(S). On the other hand, we connect upper bounds of rank(S) to upper bounds of ν(S) (νd(S)).

Graphs and ranks of monoids

Abstract Two possible concepts of rank in inverse semigroup theory, the intermediate I-rank and the upper I-rank, are investigated for the finite aperiodic Brandt semigroup. The so-called large I-rank is found for an arbitrary finite Brandt semigroup, and the result is used to obtain the large rank of the inverse semigroup of all proper subpermutations of a finite set.

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Maria Isabel

Papers

Rank properties in finite inverse semigroups