On Steinberg algebras of Hausdorff ample groupoids over commutative semirings

Abstract: We investigate the algebra of a Hausdorff ample groupoid, introduced by Steinberg, over a commutative semiring S. In particular, we obtain a complete characterization of congruence-simpleness for such Steinberg algebras, extending the well-known characterizations when S is a field or a commutative ring. We also provide a criterion for the Steinberg algebra of the graph groupoid associated to an arbitrary graph to be congruence-simple. Motivated by a result of Clark and Sims, we show that, over the Boolean semifield, the natural homomorphism from the Leavitt path algebra to the Steinberg algebra is an isomorphism if and only if the associated graph is row-finite. Moreover, we establish the Reduction Theorem and Uniqueness Theorems for Leavitt path algebras of row-finite graphs over the Boolean semifield.