Semigroups and Applications, Proceedings of the Conference in St.

Andrews, 1997
(J. M. Howie and N. Ruskuc, eds.), World Scientific, 1998, pp. 4761

47

THE LATTICE OF VARIETIES OF BANDS

MIROSLAV CIRI
C

University of Nis, Faculty of Philosophy, Cirila

i Metodija 2, P. O. Box 91, 18000
Nis, Yugoslavia

STOJAN BOGDANOVIC
University of Nis, Faculty of Economics, Trg VJ 11, P. O. Box 121, 18000 Nis,
Yugoslavia

The main aim of this paper is to characterize the join UV of two homotypical varieties U and V of bands as the class of all bands that are a subdirect (respectively
spined) product of a band from U and a band from V. This result generalizes the
result of M. Petrich from [22], who proved the corresponding theorem for U and
V contained in the variety of regular bands, and some results of N. Kimura from
[16], [17] and , [19], and M. Yamada and N. Kimura from [25].

1 Introduction and preliminaries

There are many powerful tools that were used in investigations of various types
of bands. Subdirect and spined product decompositions proved to be among
the most powerful ones.
Spined products, known in universal algebra as pullback products, appeared first in the paper of L. Fuchs [9] and subsequently in Fleischers paper
[8]. In Semigroup theory spined products were first investigated by N. Kimura
in [16], where he introduced this name which has since then become standard
in Semigroup theory. In the mentioned paper, and also in [19], Kimura proved
an interesting theorem concerning regular bands. Namely, he proved that a
band is regular if and only if it is a spined product of a left regular and a
right regular band. Two further specializations of this result were given by
M. Yamada and N. Kimura in [25], where normal bands were characterized as
spined products of left normal and right normal bands, and by N. Kimura in
[17], who described right quasi-normal bands as spined products of left normal
and right regular bands.
All these results were subsequently generalized by M. Petrich in [22]. For
arbitrary two homotypical varieties U and V of bands contained in the variety
of regular bands, he proved that the join U V of these varieties consists of
all bands that are a subdirect (respectively spined) product of a band from
U and a band from V. The main aim of this paper is to extend this result
Supported by Grant 04M03B of RFNS through Math. Inst. SANU.

48

to the case of arbitrary homotypical varieties of bands. Namely, for arbitrary

two homotypical varieties U and V of bands we prove that U V consists
of all bands that are a spined product of a band from U and a band from
V (Theorems 10 and 12). To prove this result we define two new operators
0
0
V 7 VL
and V 7 VR
on the lattice LVB of all varieties of bands. We prove
that they are opening operators and complete retractions on LVB (Section
3). These operators are defined using the congruence openings L0 and R0 of
Greens relations L and R (Section 2).
Let us recall some notions and notations. By X we will denote the
equality relation on a non-empty set X. The kernel of a homomorphism will
be denoted by ker , and the natural homomorphism of a congruence relation
% will be denoted by %\ . To an arbitrary class K of bands, we will associate
the following classes: I(K) all isomorphic copies of bands from K, H(K)
all homomorphic images of bands from K, PS (K) all subdirect products of
bands from K.
Let {Si }iI be a family of semigroups, let P be their direct product and
for i I, let i denote the projection homomorphism of P onto Si . Given
also a semigroup H and a family {i }iI of homomorphisms such that i
maps Si onto H. Then S = {a P | (i, j I) ai i = aj j } is a special
kind of subdirect product of semigroups Si , i I, called the spined product of
semigroups Si , i I, with respect to H and homomorphisms i , i I (it is
also known as pullback product).
As was proved by G. Birkhoff in [1], a semigroup S is a subdirect product
of semigroups P and Q if and only if there exist two congruences and on S
such that S/
= P , S/
= Q and = S . It is important to note that this
subdirect product is spined if and only if these congruences and commute,
that is = . This result is due to I. Fleischer [8].
Let L be a lattice. A mapping of L into itself is called: isotone, if
for x, y P , x y implies x y; extensive, if x x, for each x L;
contractive, if x x, for each x L; and idempotent, if (x) = x, for
each x L. An extensive, idempotent and isotone mapping is called a closure
operation on L, and the elements x L such that x = x are called the
closed elements of L (with respect to ). Similarly, a contractive, idempotent
and isotone mapping is called an opening operation on L, and the elements
x L such that x = x are called the open elements of L (with respect to
). An idempotent endomorphism




V
V of L is called
W a retraction
W of L, and it
is called complete if
iI ai =
iI (ai ) and
iI ai =
iI (ai ), for
an arbitrary non-empty subset {ai }iI of L. For a, b L such that a b, the
closed interval {x L | a x b} of L will be denoted by [a, b].
For undefined notions and notations we refer to the books of G. Birkhoff

49

[2], G. Gratzer [12], [13], J. M. Howie [14] and M. Petrich [22].

2 Congruence openings of Greens equivalences on a band

It is well-known (see Proposition 1.5.10 of [14]) that for each equivalence relation % on a semigroup S there exists the greatest congruence relation contained
in %, denoted by %[ and defined by
(a, b) %[ (x S 1 ) (xay, xby) %.

(1)

The operator % 7 %[ is an opening operator on the lattice of equivalence

relations on S and the open elements with respect to this operator are exactly
the congruence relations on S.
For a reason that will be explained later, the congruence openings of
Greens equivalences L and R will be denoted here by L0 and R0 , respectively. Seeing that L is a right congruence and R is a left congruence, in those
cases the condition (1) can be slightly simplified, that is
(a, b) L0
(a, b) R0

(x S 1 ) (xa, xb) L;
(y S 1 ) (ay, by) R.

(2)
(3)

We also know that the definitions of Greens equivalences on bands can be

also simplified, and on a band S they can be defined as follows:
(a, b) L
(a, b) R
(a, b) D

ab = a & ba = b;
ab = b & ba = a;
aba = a & bab = b.

(4)
(5)
(6)

In that case, H = L R = S and the congruences L0 and R0 are defined in

the following way:
(a, b) L0
(a, b) R0

(x S) xa = xaxb & xb = xbxa;

(y S) ay = byay & by = ayby.

(7)
(8)

On an arbitrary band S, the Greens equivalence D is a semilattice congruence,

so D[ = D, and the notation D0 will be reserved for the product of congruences
L0 and R0 , not for D[ . When we deal with more than one semigroup, we will
use the notations LS , RS , DS , L0S and R0S , to indicate that these are Greens
equivalences on a semigroup S.
In the further text we will describe the main properties of the congruences
L0 and R0 , and their product D0 , on bands. First we prove

50
Lemma 1 Let S be a band and let a, b S. Then (a, b) L0 R0 if and only
if the following conditions hold:
(x S)
(y S)

xa = xaxba & xba = xbaxa;

bay = bybay & by = bayby.

(9)
(10)

Proof Let (a, b) L0 R0 . Then there exists c S such that (a, c) L0 and
(c, b) R0 , or equivalently, such that the following conditions hold:
(x S)
(y S)

xa = xaxc & xc = xcxa;

cy = bycy & by = cyby.

(11)
(12)

For x = c, the second equality in (11) yields c = ca, and for y = c, the first
equality in (12) yields c = bc. Clearly, a, b and c belong to the same D-class
of S, which is a rectangular band, whence c = (bc)(ca) = bca = ba. Replacing
now c by ba in (11) and (12) we obtain (9) and (10), respectively.
Conversely, if (9) and (10) hold, then (a, ba) L0 and (ba, b) R0 , whence
(a, b) L0 R0 , which was to be proved.
Similarly we prove the following lemma:
Lemma 2 Let S be a band and let a, b S. Then (a, b) R0 L0 if and only
if the following conditions hold:
(x S)
(y S)

ax = abxax & abx = axabx;

yb = ybyab & yab = yabyb.

(13)
(14)

Now we prove two main theorems of this section. A band S will be called
left (resp. right) reduced if L0S = S (resp. R0S = S ).
Theorem 1 Let S be an arbitrary band. Then S/L0S is left reduced and S/R0S
is right reduced.
Proof We will prove the assertion concerning S/L0S . The assertion concerning
S/R0S one proves similarly.
Let T = S/L0S and let a 7 a
, a S, be the natural homomorphism of S
onto T . Assume an arbitrary (u, v) L0T . Then u = a
and v = b, for some
a, b S. We have to prove (a, b) L0S . Let x S be an arbitrary element
and let p = x
. Then (u, v) L0T yields pu = pupv and pv = pvpu, that
is (xa, xaxb) L0S and (xb, xbxa) L0S . For an arbitrary y S this yields
yxa = yxbyxbxa = yxbxa and yxb = yxbyxbxa = yxbxa, and for y = x we
obtain xa = xbxa and xb = xbxa. This means that (a, b) L0S , i.e. u = v, so
we have L0T = T , which was to be proved.

51
Theorem 2 Let S be an arbitrary band. Then the congruences L0S and R0S
commute and L0 R0 = S .
Proof First we note that L0S R0S LS RS = S .
Further, to prove that L0 and R0 commute, it is enough to prove L0S R0S
0
RS L0S . To prove this inclusion, assume an arbitrary (a, b) L0S R0S . Then
(9) and (10) hold, and to prove (a, b) R0S L0S , we have to prove (a, ab) R0S
and (ab, b) L0S , i.e. that (13) and (14) hold.
For y = x, the second equality in (10) yields bx = baxbx. Since (a, b) D
and (ax, bx) D, we have abxax = abaxbxax = axbxax = ax. Thus, abxax =
ax and (abx, ax) D, so axabx = abxaxabx = abx. This proves (13).
On the other hand, for x = y, the first equality in (9) yields ya = yayba,
and since (a, b) D and (yb, ya) D, then ybyab = ybyaybab = ybyayb = yb.
Thus, yb = ybyab and (yb, yab) D, whence yabyb = yabybyab = yab. Hence,
we have proved (14). This completes the proof of the theorem.
In analogy with the notation D = L R = R L, we will use the notation
D0 = L0 R0 = R0 L0 . Note again that D0 is not the congruence opening
of D (except in the case D0 = D). We will also write DS0 when we need to
indicate that we deal with the D0 -relation on a band S.
The next proposition describes the main properties of the relation D0 .
Proposition 1 Let S be a band and let a, b S. Then the following conditions
are equivalent:
(i) (a, b) DS0 ;
(ii) (x, y S) xay = xaxbay & xby = xbayby;
(iii) (a, b) DS &

(x, y S) xaby = xaxby = xayby .

(iv) (aL0S , bL0S ) R0S/L0 and (aR0S , bR0S ) L0S/R0 .

S

Proof (i)(ii). Using the conditions (9) and (10) we have xay = (xa)y =
xaxbay and xby = x(by) = xbayby, which was to be proved.
(ii)(iii). For x = y = a, (ii) yields a = aba, and for x = y = b it
yields b = bab. Thus, (a, b) DS . Moreover, using (9) and (10) we obtain
xaby = xaxbaby = xaxby and xaby = xabayby = xayby, which was to be
proved.
(iii)(i). Since (a, b) DS and (xca, xba) DS , then for y = a, (iii)
yields xaxba = xaba = xa and xbaxa = xbaxaxba = xba. Similarly, for x = b,
(iii) and (bay, by) DS yield bayby = baby = by and bybay = baybybay = bay.
Thus, we have proved (9) and (10), i.e. (a, b) DS0 .
(i)(iv). Using the equivalence of the conditions (i) and (ii), we easily
0
0
0
0
verify that (a, b) DS0 implies (aL0S , bL0S ) DS/L
0 and (aRS , bRS ) DS/R0
S

52
(see also Lemma 4 given below). But, S/L0S is left reduced and S/R0S is right
0
0
0
0
reduced, whence DS/L
0 = RS/L0 and DS/R0 = LS/R0 . Therefore, (iv) holds.
S

(iv)(i). Assume arbitrary x, y S. Since yL0S S/L0S , then (aL0S , bL0S )

R0S/L0 implies (ay, byay) L0S and (by, ayby) L0S , whence we have
S

xay = xayxbyay, xbyay = xbyayxay,

xby = xbyxayby, xayby = xaybyxby.

(15)
(16)

Similarly, (aR0S , bR0S ) L0S/R0 implies

S

xay = xaxbyxay, xaxby = xayxaxby,

xby = xbxayxby, xbxay = xbyxbxay.

(17)
(18)

For y = a, (15) yields xa = xaxba and xba = xbaxa, and for x = b, (18) yields
by = bayby and bay = bybay. Therefore, by Lemma 1 we have (a, b) DS0 .
This completes the proof of the proposition.
Corollary 1 Let S be an arbitrary band. Then S/DS0 is a subdirect product of
(S/L0S )/R0S/L0 and (S/R0S )/L0S/R0 .
S

Proof Since the condition (iv) of Lemma 1 can be stated as

DS0 = ker (L0S )\ (R0S/L0 )\ ker (R0S )\ (L0S/R0 )\ ,
S

then this corollary follows by the Correspondence Theorem (Theorem 1.5.4 of

[14]).
Finally, the last two lemmas of this section describe some properties of
relations L0 , R0 and D0 which will be used in the next sections.
Lemma 3 Let S be a subdirect product of bands Si , i I, let a, b S and let
G {L, R, D}. Then (a, b) GS0 if and only if (ai , bi ) GS0 i , for each i I.
Proof The proof follows immediately by (7), (8), Lemma 1 and the definition
of subdirect products.
Lemma 4 Let S and T be bands, let be a homomorphism of S onto T , let
a, b S and let G {L, R, D}. Then (a, b) GS0 implies (a, b) GT0 .
Proof The proof follows immediately by (7), (8) and Lemma 1.

53
r

B
.
.
.

.
.
.

.
.
.

@
@r
@

@
@r
@
@
@
@r
@r[G3 = I 3 ]
[G3 = I3 ] r
@
@
@
@
@r
@r
@
@
@
@
@r
@r[G3 = H 3 ]
[G3 = H3 ] r
@
@
@
@
@r
@r
@
@
@
@
@r
@r[G2 = I 2 ]
[G2 = I2 ] r
@
@
r@
@
@ @r
RB
@r
@ RN= [xya = yxa]
[axy = ayx] =LN
@
@rRZ= [G2 = H 2 ]
[G2 = H2 ] =LZ r
SL
@@@
r
@
@r
O

Figure 1: The lattice of varieties of bands

3 The operators V 7 VL0 and V 7 VR0

The lattice LVB of all varieties of bands was investigated by P. A. Biryukov
in [3], C. F. Fennemore in [5], [6], [7], J. A. Gerhard in [10], J. A. Gerhard
and M. Petrich in [11], N. Kimura in [16], [17], [18], [19], F. Pastijn in [20], M.
Petrich in [21], E. V. Sukhanov in [23], M. Yamada and N. Kimura in [25], M.
Yamada in [24] and in many other papers. It was also treated in the books
of M. Petrich [22] and J. M. Howie [14]. The characterization of LVB that
we use here was given by J. A. Gerhard and M. Petrich in [11]. They defined
inductively three systems of words as follows:
G2 = x2 x1 ,
Gn = xn Gn1 ,

H2 = x2 ,
Hn = xn Gn1 xn H n1 ,

I2 = x2 x1 x2 ,
In = xn Gn1 xn I n1 ,

(for n 3), and they showed that the lattice LVB can be represented by the
diagram given in Figure 1.
Let us give some additional explanations concerning Figure 1. For a semigroup identity u = v, [u = v] will denote the variety of bands determined by
this identity. In other words, this is a shortened notation for the semigroup variety [x2 = x, u = v]. For a word w, w denotes the dual of w, that is, the word

54

obtained from w by reversing the order of the letters in w. For a word w, c(w)
will denote the set of all letters that appear in w. This set is called the content
of w. Following the terminology of M. Petrich from [22], a semigroup identity
u = v will be called homotypical if c(u) = c(v), and heterotypical if c(u) 6= c(v).
Note that such identities are also known as regular and non-regular identities.
As known, there are only four varieties of bands satisfying a heterotypical
identity. These are the varieties O of trivial bands, LZ of left zero bands,
RZ of right zero bands, and RB of rectangular bands. They will be
called heterotypical varieties. The remaining varieties satisfy only homotypical
identities and they will be called homotypical varieties. In Figure 1 we also
distinguish the varieties B of all bands, LN of left normal bands, RN of
right normal bands, and SL of semilattices. In Figure 1 we have labelled only
the nodes which represent varieties of bands that will appear in our further
investigations. For a variety V of bands, the members of V will be called
V-bands.
We distinguish five columns of LVB each consisting of the following varieties:
first column: [Gn = In ], n 2, and [Gn = Hn ], n 3;
second column: [Gn = In ] [Gn+1 = H n+1 ], n 2, [Gn = Hn ] [Gn = I n ],
n 3, and LZ;
third column: [Gn = In ] [Gn = I n ], n 2, [Gn = Hn ] [Gn = H n ],
n 3, RB and O;
fourth column: [Gn+1 = Hn+1 ] [Gn = I n ], n 2, [Gn = In ] [Gn = H n ],
n 3, and RZ;
fifth column: [Gn = I n ], n 2, and [Gn = H n ], n 3.
The intervals


O, LZ ,

[Gn = I n ], [Gn+1


 
 

RZ, RB ,
SL, [G2 = I2 ] ,
RN, [G3 = H3 ] ,



= In+1 , n 2, and [Gn = H n ], [Gn+1 = Hn+1 , n 3,

of LVB will be called left diagonals in LVB, and the intervals

 


 
 
LN, [G3 = H 3 ] ,
O, RZ ,
LZ, RB ,
SL, [G2 = I 2 ] ,




[Gn = In ], [Gn+1 = I n+1 , n 2, and [Gn = Hn ], [Gn+1 = H n+1 , n 3,
of LVB will be called right diagonals in LVB.
The first goal of this section is to recall some results concerning certain
operations on LVB. These results are consequences of some more general
results obtained by P. R. Jones in [15], F. Pastijn in [20], and S. Zhang [26],

55
c and B. Novikov in
but they were proved directly by S. Bogdanovic, M. Ciri
[4].
For two varieties of bands U and V, their Malcev product U V is defined
as the class of all bands S having the property that there exists a congruence
% on S such that S/% belongs to V and all %-classes that are subsemigroups of
S belong to U. In general, U V is a quasi-variety and need not be a variety.
But, for a variety V of bands, LZ V and RZ V are varieties (see [15], [20],
[26] and [4]), and we will write VLZ = LZ V and VRZ = RZ V. The
mapping V 7 VLZ (and dually, the mapping V 7 VRZ ) was investigated in
[4], where the following theorem was proved:
Theorem 3 (Theorem 4 of [4]) Let V be an arbitrary variety of bands. If
V is contained in a left diagonal [V1 , V2 ] of LVB, then VLZ = V2 .
By the previous theorem and the dual theorem concerning the right diagonals of LVB the next two theorems follow.
Theorem 4 The mappings V 7 VLZ and V 7 VRZ are closure operators
on the lattice LVB.
The closed elements of LVB with respect to the closure operators V 7 VLZ
and V 7 VRZ will be called LZ-closed varieties and RZ-closed varieties,
respectively.
Theorem 5 The LZ-closed (resp. RZ-closed ) varieties of bands are exactly
the endpoints of left (resp. right) diagonals in LVB.
Moreover, we have the following:
Theorem 6 The mappings V 7 VLZ and V 7 VRZ are complete retractions
of the lattice LVB.
Proof The proof of this theorem is very similar to the proof of Theorem 9
given below and it will be omitted.
The main goal of this section is to study some other related operators on
LVB. Let V be a variety of bands. We introduce the following notations:




0
0
0
0
VL
VR
0 = I {S/L | S V} ,
0 = I {S/R | S V}
and


0
0
VD
0 = I {S/D | S V} .
0
0
0
The varieties of bands generated by VL
0 , VR0 and VD 0 will be denoted by
VL0 , VR0 and VD0 , respectively.
First we prove the following:

56
0
Proposition 2 Let V be an arbitrary variety of bands. Then the classes VL
0,
0
0
VR0 and VD0 are closed under subdirect products.

Proof We will prove only the assertion concerning L0 . The assertions concerning R0 and D0 are proved similarly.
0
Let T be a subdirect product of bands Ti , i I, with Ti VL
0 , for each
0
i I. Then for every i I there exists Si V such that Si /LSi = Ti . As
0
usually, we will
Q identify Si /LSi and Ti .
Let P = iI Si and let
S = {a = (ai )iI P | (ai L0Si )iI T }.
We first prove that S is a subdirect product of bands Si , i I. It is easy
to check that S is a subsemigroup of P . Further, assume that i I and
ai Si are arbitrary. Then ai L0Si Ti and there exists t = (tj )jI such that
ti = ai L0Si . Moreover, for each j I, j 6= i, there exists aj Sj such that
tj = aj L0Sj . Now a = (aj )jI S and aiS = ai , which was to be proved.
Further we prove S/L0S
= T . Define a mapping : S T as follows: for
a = (ai )iI S let
a = (ai L0Si )iI .
By the definition of S, maps S onto T . It is easy to check that is a
homomorphism. Thus, to prove the claim it is enough to prove ker = L0S .
Assume that a = (ai )iI and b = (bi )iI S are arbitrary. By Lemma
3, (a, b) L0S if and only if (ai , bi ) L0Si , i.e. ai L0Si = bi L0Si , for each i I.
But this holds if and only if (a, b) ker . Thus, L0S = ker , which was to be
proved.
0
Finally, we have T
= S/L0S so T VL
0 , which completes the proof of the
proposition.
By the above proposition we immediately obtain
Proposition 3 Let V be an arbitrary variety of bands. Then
0
VL0 = H(VL
0 ),

0
VR0 = H(VR
0)

and

0
VD0 = H(VD
0 ).

0
Proof As known (Theorem 23.3 of [12]), VL0 = HPS (VL
0 ), and by Theorem
0
0
0
2, PS (VL0 ) = VL0 , whence VL0 = H(VL0 ). In the same way we prove the
assertions concerning VR0 and VD0 .

Further we study the operators V 7 VL0 and V 7 VR0 .

Theorem 7 The mappings V 7 VL0 and V 7 VR0 are opening operators
on the lattice LVB.

57

Proof We will prove only the assertion concerning the mapping V 7 VL0 ,
since the assertion concerning the mapping V 7 VR0 can be proved similarly.
Clearly, the mapping V 7 VL0 is contractive and isotone. To prove the
idempotency, assume an arbitrary V LVB. Since we always have (VL0 )L0
VL0 , it remains to prove the opposite inclusion. Assume an arbitrary T VL0 .
0
By Theorem 3, T is a homomorphic image of some band S VL
0 . On the
0
other hand, S VL0 and S/L (VL0 )L0 . But, S is left reduced, by Theorem
1, that is S/L0
= S. Therefore, S (VL0 )L0 and T is a homomorphic image
of S, whence T (VL0 )L0 , which was to be proved. This completes the proof
of the theorem.
The open elements of LVB with respect to the opening operators V 7
VL0 and V 7 VR0 will be called L0 -open varieties and R0 -open varieties,
respectively.
Theorem 8 The L0 -open (resp. R0 -open) varieties of bands are exactly the
startpoints of left (resp. right) diagonals in LVB.
Proof First we prove that the startpoints of left diagonals in LVB are L0 -open
varieties.
Let V 6= B be the startpoint of an arbitrary left diagonal in LVB and
let V2 be the endpoint of this left diagonal. Clearly, VL0 V. If VL0 is a
proper subvariety of V, then by Theorem 3, the varieties VL0 and (VL0 )LZ
belong to the same left diagonal of LVB below [V, V2 ], so there exists S
V \ (VL0 )LZ . But, S V yields S/L0 VL0 , and this implies S (VL0 )LZ ,
which contradicts the choice of S. Therefore, we conclude VL0 = V. Using
the same methodology we can prove the case V = B.
Conversely, let V 6= B be an arbitrary L0 -open variety in LVB. Then
there exists a unique left diagonal [V1 , V2 ] containing V. In the proof of
Theorem 4 of [4] (here Theorem 3), it was established that S V2 if and only
if S/L0 V1 , for each S B, whence V = VL0 V1 . But, V [V1 , V2 ]
yields V1 V, so V = V1 , which was to be proved. Hence, we have completed
the proof of the theorem.
Theorem 9 The mappings V 7 VL0 and V 7 VR0 are complete retractions
of the lattice LVB.
Proof Let {Vi | i
V
W I} bei an arbitrary family of varieties of bands, let V =
i
V
and
W
=
iI
iI V .V
i
i
i
First we prove VL0 = iI
V VL0i. Since V V , then VL0 VL0 , for
each i I, and hence VL0 iI VL0 .

58
i
To prove the opposite inclusion, let us observe that VL
0 are the startpoints
i
of left diagonalsVin LVB (Theorem 8). If the set {VL0 | i I} contains both SL
i
and RZ, then iI VL
0 = O VL0 , which was to be proved. Suppose now
i
that the set {VL0 | i I} does not contain SL or it does not contain RZ. Then
this set is a finite chain or a chain isomorphicV
to the chain of positive integers, so
i0
i0
i0
i
i
i
it has the smallest element VL
0 and VL0 =
iI VL0 . Now VL0 VL0 V ,
V
i0
i0
i0
i
for eachVi I, so VL0 iI V = V and VL0 = (VL0 )L0 VL0 . Therefore,
i
VL0 = iI VL
0 , which was to be proved.
W
i
i
i
Further we prove W
WL0 = i iI VL0 . Since V W, then VL0 WL0 ,
for each i I, whence iI VL0 WL0 . To prove the opposite
we
W inclusion,
i
i
distinguish two cases. If
the
set
{V
|
i

I}
is
infinite,
then
V
=
B,
0
0
iI
L
L
W
i
and then WL0 B = iI VL
0 . On the other hand, if this set is finite, then
i1 W
i1
i
it has the greatest element VL
the left
0,
iI VL0 = VL0 and W belongs to
W
i1
i1
i
diagonal [VL0 , V2 ] of LVB, for some V2 B. Now, WL0 = VL0 = iI VL
0,
which was to be proved.
Therefore, we have completed the assertion concerning the mapping V 7
VL0 . Similarly we prove the assertion concerning the mapping V 7 VR0 .

4. The joins in LVB

In the last section of the paper we use the results obtained in the preceding
sections to describe the joins of two varieties of bands. First we prove the
following theorem:
Theorem 10 Let S be a band and let V be an arbitrary variety of bands.
Then the following conditions are equivalent:
(i) S V;
(ii) S is a subdirect product of a VL0 -band and a VR0 -band;
(iii) S is a spined product of a VL0 -band and a VR0 -band (with respect to a
VD0 -band ).
Proof (i)(iii). By Theorem 2, the congruences L0S and R0S commute, where
L0S R0S = DS0 , and L0S R0S = S , so by Theorem 1 of [8], S is a spined
product of S/L0S and S/R0S with respect to S/DS0 . This proves (iii).
(iii)(ii). This is obvious.
(ii)(i). Clearly, VL0 V and VR0 V, so a subdirect product of a
VL0 -band and a VR0 -band is a subdirect product of two V-bands, and hence,
it is also a V-band.
Using the previous theorem we prove the following:

59

Theorem 11 Let V be an arbitrary variety of bands. Then

V = VL0 VR0 = VLZ VRZ

and

VL0 VR0 = VD0 .

Proof Clearly, VL0 VR0 V. To prove the opposite inclusion, assume that
S V is arbitrary. By Theorem 10, S is a subdirect product of a VL0 -band
and a VR0 -band, i.e. it is a subdirect product of two (VL0 VR0 )-bands, so
S VL0 VR0 . Therefore, we have proved V = VL0 VR0 .
The inclusion V VLZ VRZ is trivial. On the other hand, by the proof
of Theorem 4 of [4], for a band S, S VLZ if and only if S/L0 VL0 .
Therefore, S VLZ implies S/L0 VL0 V, and similarly, S VRZ implies
S/R0 VR0 V. Now, if S VLZ VRZ , then by Theorem 10, S is a
subdirect product of bands S/L0 V and S/R0 V, so S V, and hence
VLZ VRZ V. Therefore we have proved V = VLZ VRZ .
Further, by the Correspondence Theorem (Theorem 5.6 of [14]), for each
0
S V, S/D0 is a homomorphic image of S/L0 and S/R0 , so VD
0 VL0 VR0
and VD0 VL0 VR0 . To prove the opposite inclusion, assume that H
(VL0 )R0 is arbitrary. Then there exist T VL0 and a homomorphism
of T /R0T onto H. But, T VL0 implies that there exist S V and a
0
0
homomorphism of S/L0S onto T . Let S 0 = S/L

S . By Lemma 4, (a, b) RS 0
0 \
0
0
implies (a, b) RT , so RS 0 ker (RT ) . Now, by the Correspondence
Theorem we have that there exists a homomorphism of S 0 /R0S 0 onto T /R0T ,
and hence, H is a homomorphic image of S 0 /R0S 0 . Moreover, by Corollary 1,
S 0 /R0S 0 is a homomorphic image of S/DS0 , so H is also a homomorphic image
of S/DS0 . Thus, we have proved H VD0 , i.e. (VL0 )R0 VD0 . Similarly we
prove (VR0 )L0 VD0 . Hence, we have
(VL0 )R0 (VR0 )L0 VD0 VL0 VR0 .
But, (VL0 )R0 (VR0 )L0 = VL0 VR0 , since it is the intersection point of the
left diagonal [(VR0 )L0 , VR0 ] and the right diagonal [(VL0 )R0 , VL0 ] of LVB,
so we have completed the proof of the theorem.
Finally, we prove the main theorem of this paper. By Theorem II.5.3
of [22], M. Petrich described the join U V of two varieties U and V of
regular bands, where by a variety of regular bands we mean the variety [G3 =
I3 ] [G3 = I3 ] (this is in fact the variety consisting of all bands on which the
Greens equivalences L and R are congruences, that is L = L0 and R = R0 ).
If, for example, U is not contained in the variety of regular bands and V is a
heterotypical variety, then U V = U. Therefore, to extend the mentioned
Petrichs theorem to arbitrary varieties of bands, it is enough to consider the
joins of two homotypical varieties, as is done in the next theorem:

60

Theorem 12 Let S be a band and let U and V be two homotypical varieties

of bands. Then the following conditions are equivalent:
(i) S U V;
(ii) S is a subdirect product of a U-band and a V-band;
(iii) S is a spined product of a U-band and a V-band (with respect to a (UV)band ).
Proof (i)(iii). If U and V are comparable in LVB, i.e. if U V or V U,
then either U V = V or U V = U. In both of these cases S can be
represented as a direct product of itself and a trivial band and (iii) is satisfied.
Assume that U and V are incomparable in LVB. Then they are not
contained in the same column of LVB, and without loss of generality, we can
assume that the column of LVB containing U lies on the left-hand side with
respect to the column containing V. Then W = U V is the intersection of
the right diagonal of LVB containing U and the left diagonal containing V,
so WR0 = UR0 and WL0 = VL0 . Now, by Theorems 10 and 11, S is a spined
product of a UR0 -band and a VL0 -band with respect to a WD0 -band, where
WD0 = UR0 VL0 = U V. Hence, we have proved (iii).
(iii)(ii). This is trivial.
(ii)(i). This can be proved similarly as (ii)(i) of Theorem 10.
Let LVBL0 and LVBR0 denote the images of LVB under the mappings
V 7 VL0 and V 7 VR0 , respectively. Clearly, these are complete sublattices
of LVB. Using Theorems 9 and 11 we prove the following theorem that was
first discovered by F. Pastijn in [20].
Theorem 13 The mapping V 7 (VL0 , VR0 ) is an isomorphism of the lattice
LVB onto a subdirect product of lattices LVBL0 and LVBR0 .
Proof By Theorem 9, the mapping defined above is a homomorphism. If
(UL0 , UR0 ) = (VL0 , VR0 ), for some varieties of bands U and V, then by
Theorem 11 we have U = UL0 UR0 = VL0 VR0 = V, so the mapping
V 7 (VL0 , VR0 ) is one-to-one. Assume now arbitrary U LVBL0 and
V LVBR0 . Then the pair (U, UR0 ) is an image of U, and the pair (VL0 , V)
is an image of V. This completes the proof of the theorem.

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