1. Introduction
In nonassociative algebra, noncommutative geometry, field theory, and topological algebra there frequently appear binary systems, which are nonassociative generalizations of groups and are related to loops, quasi-groups, and Moufang loops, etc. (see [
1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6]). A particular class of quasi-groups known as gyrogroups
arise as a skew product of a group
and its automorphism group
. Relations between
and
for each
a,
b and
c in
are provided with the help of the automorphism
of
acting on
c, where
,
may depend only on two parameters
a and
b in
. They found applications in physics for studying Thomas precession with the help of the Lorentz group and its automorphism group [
7]. It was investigated and proved in the 20th century that a nontrivial geometry exists if and only if there exists a corresponding unital quasi-group (loop) [
2,
4].
A very important role in mathematics and quantum field theory play octonions and generalized Cayley–Dickson algebras [
8,
9,
10]. A multiplicative law of their canonical bases is nonassociative and leads to a more general notion of a metagroup instead of a group [
11]. They are used not only in algebra and geometry, but also in noncommutative analysis and PDEs, particle physics, and mathematical physics [
9,
10,
12,
13,
14,
15,
16,
17,
18,
19,
20,
21,
22,
23,
24,
25,
26]. The preposition
meta is used to emphasize that such an algebraic object has properties milder than those of a group. By their axiomatic metagroups are loops (that is, satisfy the conditions of Equations (1)–(3)) with additional weak relations (10). Metagroups were used in [
11] to investigate of automorphisms and derivations of nonassociative algebras, as well as cohomologies of nonassociative algebras [
27]. Constructions of metagroups from groups or other metagroups with the help of smashed and twisted wreath products, of certain nonassociative algebras and examples were given in [
11,
27,
28].
This article is devoted to the structure of topological metagroups. Specific algebraic and topological features of metagroups are studied in Lemmas 1–4, Theorem 2, and Propositions 1 and 2. Relations between topological and algebraic properties of metagroups are scrutinized. A quotient of a metagroup by its central subgroup is investigated in Theorem 1. A uniform continuity of maps on topological metagroups is studied in Theorem 3 and Corollary 2.
Smashed products of topological metagroups are investigated in
Section 3. It is proved in Theorems 4 and 5 and Corollaries 3–5 that there are abundant families of topological metagroups.
All main results of this paper are obtained for the first time.
2. Structure of Topological Metagroups
To avoid misunderstandings, we provide the necessary definition. A reader familiar with [
2,
11,
27] can skip Definition 1.
Definition 1. Let G be a set with a single-valued binary operation (multiplication) defined on G satisfying the conditions:
For each a and b in G there is a unique withand a unique exists satisfyingwhich are denoted by and correspondingly, there exists a neutral (i.e., unit) element :for each . The set of all elements commuting and associating with G:is called the center of G. We call
G a metagroup if a set
G possesses a single-valued binary operation and satisfies the conditions of Equations (1)–(3) and
for each
a,
b and
c in
G, where
.
Then
G is called a central metagroup if in addition to (10) it satisfies the condition:
for each
a and
b in
G, where
.
Let be a topology on G such that the multiplication , the operations and are jointly continuous relative to , then will be called a topological metagroup. Henceforth, it will be assumed that is the topology, maps and functions on metagroups are supposed to be single-valued, if something other will not be specified.
A neighborhood U of the unit element e is called left (right) symmetric, if (or respectively), where is a left inversion, is a right inversion. If a neighborhood U is left and right symmetric, then it will be called symmetric.
Elements of a metagroup G will be denoted by small letters, subsets of G will be denoted by capital letters. If A and B are subsets in G, then means the difference of them .
Lemma 1. If G is a metagroup, then for each a and the following identities are fulfilled: Proof. The conditions of Equations (1)–(3) imply that
for each
a and
b in
G. Using Equation (10) and the identities of Equations (15) and (16) we deduce that
which leads to Equation (12).
Let
, then from the identities of Equations (12) and (15) it follows that
which provides Equation (13).
Let now
, then the identities of Equations (12) and (16) imply that
which demonstrates (14). □
Lemma 2. Assume that G is a metagroup. Then for every a, , , in G and , , in : Proof. Since
and
for every
,
,
in
G, then
Therefore, for every
,
,
in
G and
,
,
in
we infer that
for each
,
and
b in
G, because
is the commutative group. Thus
.
From the condition of Equation (10), Lemma 1 and the identity in Equation (17) it follows that
for each
implying Equation (18). □
Lemma 3. If is a topological metagroup, then the function is jointly continuous in , , in G.
Proof. This follows immediately from Equation (19) and Definition 1. □
Lemma 4. Assume that is a topological metagroup and U is an open subsets in G, then for each the sets and are open in G.
Proof. Take any
and consider the equation
Then from Equation (2) it follows that
Thus
, where
is a continuous bijective function in the variable
c by Equation (14) and Lemma 3. On the other hand, the right shift mapping
from
G into
G is continuous and bijective in
u (see Definition 1). Moreover,
and
for each fixed
and all
and
by (16). Thus
and
are open mappings, consequently,
is open.
Similarly for the equation
the unique solution is
by the condition of Equation (1).
Therefore,
, where
is a continuous bijective function in
c according to Lemma 3 and Equation (13). Next we consider the left shift mapping
for each fixed
and any
. This mapping
is continuous, since the multiplication on
G is continuous. Then
and
for every fixed
and all
and
by Equation (15). Therefore
and
are open mappings. Thus the subset
is open in
G. □
Proposition 1. Let be a topological metagroup and let U and V be subsets in G such that either U or V is open, then is open in G.
Proof. In view of Lemma 4 either is open in G for each or is open in G for each respectively, consequently, is open in G. □
Theorem 1. If G is a topological metagroup and is a closed subgroup in a center such that for each a, b and c in G, then its quotient is a topological group.
Proof. Let
be a
topology on
G relative to which
G is a topological metagroup. Then each point
x in
G is closed, since
G is the
topological space (see Section 1.5 in [
29]). From the continuity of multiplication and the left inversion and right inversion it follows that the center
is closed in
G. Therefore the subgroup
is closed in
G. As is tradition, the notation:
is used for subsets
A and
B in
G. Then from Equations (4)–(8) it follows that for each
a,
b,
c in
G the identities take place.
and
. Evidently
. In view of Lemmas 1 and 2
, consequently, for each
a unique inverse
exists. Thus the quotient
of
G by
is a group. Since the topology
on
G is
and
is closed in
G, then the quotient topology
on
is also
. By virtue of Theorem 8.4 in [
30] this implies that
is a
topology on
. □
We remind reader of the following.
Definition 2. Let G be a topological metagroup. For a subset U in G it is put: The family of all subsets (or ) with U being an open neighborhood of e will be called a left (right correspondingly) uniform structure on G and denoted by (respectively ).
Theorem 2. Assume that G is a topological metagroup and a function t on G is defined by Equation (10). Then for each compact subset S in G and each open neighborhood V of e there exists an open symmetric neighborhood U of e in G such thatfor every a, b, c in S and , in U for each . Proof. Let denote the quotient map of G on the quotient group provided by Theorem 1, where . That is for each . From Lemma 2 it follows that t on G induces a continuous map on Q with values in , where for each a, b, c in G.
Since
S is compact in
G and
is continuous from
into
, then
is compact in
Q by Theorem 3.1.10 in [
29]. Therefore,
is a compact subset in
, where
is supplied with the topology inherited from
G. In view of Proposition 1 if
U is an open symmetric neighborhood of
e in
G, then
is an open symmetric neighborhood of the unit element
in
Q. The group
is commutative, hence Equation (32) is equivalent to
for every
,
,
in
and
,
in
for each
, where
for each
.
Naturally
is a topological group as the direct product of three copies of the topological group
Q (see Theorem 6.2 in [
30]). Since
is compact in the topological group
, then
is uniformly continuous on
relative to the uniformities
and
; consequently, there exists an open symmetric neighborhood
W of
in
Q such that Equation (33) is satisfied for every
,
,
in
and
,
in
W for each
. Take an open symmetric neighborhood
U of
e in
G such that
. With this
U Equation (32) is fulfilled. □
Proposition 2. Suppose that is a topological metagroup, S is a compact subset in G, q is a fixed element in G, V is an open neighborhood of the unit element e. Then there are elements in G and an open symmetric neighborhood U of e such thatandis an open covering of S, andfor each k = 1,...,m. Proof. Since the left
and right
inversions are homeomorphisms of
G onto itself as the topological space, then for each open neighborhood
W of
e the intersection
is an open symmetric neighborhood of
e, since
and
for each
b in
G. The multiplication is continuous on
G, hence the left shift mapping
is continuous on
G in the variable
x. On the other hand, the left inversion
is continuous on
G. □
In view of Lemmas 1, 4 and the compactness of S for each open symmetric neighborhood U of e in G there are in G such that is an open covering of S. Then Equation (15) and inclusion (34) imply inclusion (36).
Corollary 1. Let G be a topological metagroup. Then for each open neighborhood W of e in G there exists an open symmetric neighborhood U of e such thatand Proof. This follows from property (37), Equations (15) and (16). □
Theorem 3. Let G and H be topological metagroups and let be a continuous map so that for each open neighborhood V of a unit element in H a compact subset in G exists such that . Then f is uniformly continuous and uniformly continuous.
Proof. Since each open neighborhood of in H contains an open symmetric neighborhood according to property (37), then it suffices to consider an open symmetric neighborhood V of in H. Let be an open symmetric neighborhood of in H such that , where , for subsets A and B in H. By the conditions of this theorem, a compact subset in G exists such that .
For a subset
A of the metagroup
G let
where
, hence
and
. Then
is a compact subset in
G, since the left
and right
inversions and multiplication are continuous on
G (see Theorems 3.1.10, 8.3.13–8.3.15 in [
29]), hence
is compact in
H.
Since the multiplication in
H is continuous, then for each open neighborhood
Y of
there exists an open neighborhood
X of
such that
. By virtue of Theorem 2 there exists an open symmetric neighborhood
of
in
H such that
for every
a,
b,
c in
. For
there exists a compact subset
in
G such that
by the conditions of this theorem. If
A and
B are compact subsets in
G, then their union
is also compact. Therefore it is possible to choose
such that
, since
and
. We take
by Equation (40), consequently,
, since
.
From the continuity of the map f and Lemma 4 it follows that for each open symmetric neighborhoods and of e in G exist such that
and
; consequently,
for an open symmetric neighborhood
of
e in
G. The compactness of
implies that coverings
and
of
have finite subcoverings
and
. Hence
is a symmetric open neighborhood of
e in
G. Therefore, according to Theorem 2, there exists an open symmetric neighborhood
U of the unit element
e in
G such that
for every
a,
b,
c in
, where
is an open symmetric neighborhood of
e in
G such that
.
Let
x and
y in
G be such that
. Then Equation (15) implies that
There are several options. Consider first the case . From Equation (43), Inclusions (44), (45) and Corollary 1 it follows that there exists such that and . Therefore, Inclusions (41) and (42) imply that .
From
and Equation (15) it follows that
for a unique
. Hence
according to Equations (14) and (16).
If , then similarly from Equations (43), (46), inclusions (44), (45) and Corollary 1 it follows that there exists such that and , since an open neighborhood U of e is symmetric and for each a and b in G. Therefore, by Inclusions and , since the considered neighborhoods of in H and in G are symmetric and (see Equation ).
It remains the case and . Therefore, and . According to the choice of we have . The open neighborhoods V, , of in H are symmetric. From Inclusion , Equation and the inclusion , it follows that . Taking into account the inclusion we get that f is uniformly continuous.
The uniform continuity is proved analogously using the finite subcovering and Corollary 1. □
Corollary 2. Let G be a locally compact metagroup, let and let be the complex field considered as an additive group. Then f is uniformly continuous and uniformly continuous.
This corollary follows from Theorem 3 as its particular case.
3. Products of Topological Metagroups
In this section, we demonstrate that there are abundant families of topological metagroups besides those described in the introduction.
Theorem 4. Let be a family of topological metagroups (see Definition 1), where , J is a set. Then their direct product relative to the Tychonoff product topology τ is a topological metagroup and Proof. The direct product of topological loops is a topological loop (see [
2,
3]). Thus Conditions
–
are satisfied.
Each element
is written as
. From Equations
–
we infer that
and similarly
and
This and Equation
imply that
Thus
Let
a,
b and
c be in
G, then
where
Therefore, Equations and imply that Condition also is satisfied. Thus G is a topological metagroup. □
Remark 1. Let A and B be metagroups and let be a commutative group such thatwhere denotes a minimal subgroup in containing for every a, b and c in A. Using direct products it is always possible to extend either
A or
B to get such a case. In particular, either
A or
B may be a group. On
an equivalence relation
is considered such that
for every
v in
A,
b in
B and
in
.
where
denotes a family of all bijective surjective single-valued mappings of
B onto
B subjected to the conditions given below. If
and
, then it will be written shortly
instead of
, where
. Let also
be single-valued mappings written shortly as
,
and
correspondingly such that
and
and
and
for every
u and
v in
A,
b and
c in
B,
in
, where
e denotes the neutral element in
and in
A and
B.
We put
for each
,
in
A,
and
in
B.
The Cartesian product supplied with such a binary operation will be denoted by .
Theorem 5. Let the conditions of Remark 1 be satisfied. Then the Cartesian product supplied with a binary operation of Equation (63) is a metagroup.
For the proof of this theorem see Theorem 9 in [
27].
Definition 3. The metagroup of Theorem 5 is called a smashed product of metagroups A and B with smashing factors ϕ, η, κ and ξ.
Particularly, it is possible to consider the topological metagroup fulfilling the condition: there exists a compact subgroup
in
such that
Corollary 3. . Assume that conditions of Theorem 4 are satisfied and for each a metagroup satisfies Condition . Then the product metagroup G satisfies Condition .
. Moreover, if is compact for all and locally compact for each , where and is a finite set, then G is locally compact.
Proof. . Using Equation
it is sufficient to take
, since the direct product of compact commutative groups
is a compact commutative group
(see [
29,
30]).
The last assertion
follows from the known fact that
G as a topological space is locally compact under the imposed above conditions by Theorem 3.3.13 in [
29]. □
Corollary 4. Suppose that the conditions of Remark 1 are fulfilled and A and B are topological metagroups and smashing factors ϕ, η, κ, ξ are jointly continuous by their variables. Suppose also that is supplied with a topology induced from the Tychonoff product topology on . Then is a topological metagroup.
Corollary 5. If the conditions of Corollary 4 are satisfied and metagroups A and B are locally compact, then is locally compact. Moreover, if A and B satisfy Condition and ranges of η, κ, ξ are contained in , then satisfies Condition .
Proof. Corollaries 4 and 5 follow from Theorems 2.3.11, 3.2.4, 3.3.13 in [
29], Lemma 3 and Theorems 1, 2, 5, since
and is a compact subgroup in . □
Example 1. Assume that X is a topological space, G is a topological metagroup (not a group). We consider the space of all continuous maps supplied with the compact-open topology and the point-wise multiplication for each f, g in and . Then this constriction and Definition 1 imply that there exist , , and for each f, g and h in and . It can be easily seen that is the topological metagroup (not a group). Generally may be nonlocally compact metagroup for nontrivial X and G with the small inductive dimension and the topological weight , .
Other metagroups are given in Examples 1–3 in [
28]. In general they are nonassociative and hence different from groups.
Example 2. Particularly, is the metagroup, where either with or , and with are the canonical generators of the complexified Cayley–Dickson algebra such that and ; where with are the canonical generators of the Cayley-Dickson algebra over the real field , (for more details see Example 1 in [28]). Therefore, relative to the discrete topology is the compact nonassociative metagroup for each ; while is the locally compact nonassociative metagroup and is not compact. Then we putwhere α is a set, , , is a map. We supply with the Tychonoff product topology, hence is the topological nonassociative metagroup by Theorem 4. If , then is not discrete. For each , each set α and every map , the metagroup is compact. If , then is locally compact and noncompact by Corollary 3. For each α and μ such that the metagroup is not locally compact. Example 3. If A and B are topological metagroups and A has the positive small inductive dimension , then according to Theorems 7.1.1 in [29] and 4 above. In particular, A may be a group and B be the nonassociative metagroup, hence is the nonassociative topological metagroup with . Example 4. Other examples follow from Remark 3 and Theorem 9 in [27], Remark 4 and Theorem 6 in [28], Examples 1–3, Theorem 5 and Corollaries 4 and 5 above providing nonassociative topological metagroups , which may be either locally compact or nonlocally compact or (and) with . Remark 2. From Theorems 4 and 5 and Corollaries 3–5, it follows that taking nontrivial η, κ, and ξ and starting even from groups with nontrivial or it is possible to construct new metagroups with nontrivial and ranges of may be infinite and nondiscrete. With suitable smashing factors ϕ, η, κ and ξ and with nontrivial metagroups or groups A and B it is easy to get examples of metagroups in which for an infinite family of elements a in . The latter and Examples 1–3 above show that there are a lot of metagroups G for which depend nontrivially on all arguments a, b, and c in G.
In Theorem 5, instead of the family of all automorphisms of
B, we used the family
(see Remark 1). In particular,
may be different from the automorphism of
B for some
. Moreover multipliers
in Definition 1,
,
,
in Remark 1 and Theorem 5 provide left
or right
shifts on
G or
A, or
B respectively, where
with
a,
b and
c in
G,
and
in
A;
and
in
B; where
for each
and
,
for each
and
, etc. The latter means that the maps
and
are bijective (injective and surjective). Then
and
are different from automorphisms of
G,
A,
B and of
for each
, since each automorphism
of
G satisfies the restrictions
,
,
for each
a and
b in
G. Moreover, in the smashed twisted wreath product of metagroup construction operators
,
,
on
F are used which are generally not automorphisms of
F (see Theorem 6 in [
28]). This implies that the class of metagroups is different from the class of gyrogroups.
Example 2 means that
is the complexified octonion algebra
and
is the octonion algebra
over
. Thus the Cayley–Dickson algebras are metagroup algebras. The complexified octonion algebra
was used, for example, in physics and geometry in [
16,
31,
32]. The metagroup algebra
was used in [
12,
18,
19,
25] for solutions of PDEs.