Function spaces with a countable \(cs^*\)-network at a point (Q958512)

Let \(X\) be a Tychonoff space and let \(C_p(X)\) denote the space of all continuous real valued functions on \(X\) with the topology of pointwise convergence. Let \({\mathcal P}\) be a family of subsets of \(X\). We call \({\mathcal P}\) a \(\text{cs}^*\)-network at some point \(x\in X\) in case, for each neighborhood \(U\) of \(x\) and each sequence \(s\) converging to \(x\), there is an infinite subset \(t\) of \(s\) and some \(P\in{\mathcal P}\) such that \(\{x\} \cup t\subset P\subset U\). The main result of the present paper is that \(C_p(X)\) has a countable \(\text{cs}^*\)-network at 0 if, and only if, \(X\) is countable. We call \({\mathcal P}\) a \(k\)-network for \(X\) in case, for each compact \(K\subset X\) and open \(U\) with \(K\subset U\), there is a finite subfamily of \({\mathcal P}\) whose union \(Q\) satisfies \(K\subset Q\subset U\). If \({\mathcal P}\) is countable, then \(X\) is called an \(\aleph_0\)-space. The author uses his main result to give simple proofs of earlier results, including one by \textit{E. Michael} [J. Math. Mech. 15, 983--1002 (1966; Zbl 0148.16701] that \(C_p(X)\) is an \(\aleph_0\)-space if, and only if, \(X\) is countable. He then studies the relation of various networks to the compact open topology for \(C(X)\).