Dynamics, Random Products, and Ultrametric Geometry in Kiselman's Semigroup

Abstract

We study certain dynamical and metric aspects of Kiselman's semigroup $K_n$. The level function $\mathcal{L}$ is introduced and shown to admit a simple description in terms of right multiplication by generators. We show that every sequence of partial products in $K_n$ is eventually constant. Using $\mathcal{L}$, we further study sequences of random partial products in $K_n$ and show that, in the independent and identically distributed setting where every generator is chosen with positive probability, the hitting time of the eventual constant value is distributed as a sum of $n$ independent geometric random variables. Finally, we define a natural ultrametric on $K_n$ arising from the level function and obtain some basic results on the associated metric balls and spheres.