Green index and finiteness conditions for semigroups

Abstract

Let S be a semigroup and let T be a subsemigroup of S. Then T acts on S by left and by right multiplication. If the complement S \ T has finitely many strong orbits by both these actions we say that T has finite Green index in S. This notion of finite index encompasses subgroups of finite index in groups, and also subsemigroups of finite Rees index (complement). Therefore, the question of S and T inheriting various finiteness conditions from each other arises. In this paper we consider and resolve this question for the following finiteness conditions: finiteness, residual finiteness, local finiteness, periodicity, having finitely many right ideals, and having finitely many idempotents. (c) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.