Global representations of algebras with a near-unanimity term

Abstract

Global representations are subdirect representations satisfying a sheaf-like local-to-global patching principle. We develop a unified and simplified theory of such representations. For quasivarieties with a near-unanimity term, this framework recovers the main classical representation theorems through a common argument and yields a general representation by factors of bounded subdirect width. When the relatively subdirectly irreducible members form a universal class, we obtain an optimal result: every relatively congruence-distributive algebra admits a global representation by relatively globally indecomposable factors, which we characterize explicitly. We also provide a converse: global representations by factors of bounded relative subdirect width force the existence of a near-unanimity term. Adding semisimplicity to the hypotheses of the main theorem yields optimal representation results for filtral quasivarieties and dual discriminator varieties, together with a simple description of the globally indecomposable algebras. The technical engine behind these results is a new infinitary extension of the congruence-system component of the Baker--Pixley theorem.