On subsemigroups of βℕ and absolute coretracts

Abstract

A semigroup S is called an absolute coretract if for any continuous homomorphism f from a compact Hausdorff right topological semigroup T onto a compact Hausdorff right topological semigroup containing S algebraically there exists a homomorphism g \colon S→ T such that f\circ g=idS. The semigroup β\ben contains isomorphic copies of any countable absolute coretract. In this article we define a class C of semigroups of idempotents each of which is a decreasing chain of rectangular semigroups. It is proved that every semigroup from C is an absolute coretract and every finite semigroup of idempotents, which is an absolute coretract, belongs to C .