Continuous orbit equivalence of semigroup actions

Abstract

In this paper, we consider semigroup actions of discrete countable semigroups on compact spaces by surjective local homeomorphisms. We introduce notions of continuous one-sided orbit equivalence and continuous orbit equivalence for semigroup actions, and characterize them in terms of the corresponding semi-groupoids and transformation groupoids respectively. Finally, we consider the case of semigroup actions by homeomorphisms and relate continuous orbit equivalence of semigroup actions to that of group actions.