Almost automorphic and bijective factors of substitution shifts

Abstract

In this article we completely characterise constant length substitution shifts which have an almost automorphic factor, or which have a bijective substitution factor. Our approach is algebraic: we study these dynamical properties in terms of a finite semigroup defined by the substitution. We characterise the existence of almost automorphic factors in terms of Green's R-relation, and the existence of bijective factors in terms of Green's L-relation. Our results are constructive.