Local dendrites with unique \(n\)-fold hyperspace (Q617740)

The authors consider metric continua and their \(n\)-fold hyperspaces. They show that if \(X\) is a local dendrite, such that every point of \(X\) has a neighborhood which is a dendrite whose set of end points is closed and \(Z\) any metric continuum, such that \(C_n(X)\) is homeomorphic to \(C_m(Z)\) for some \(n,m \geq 3\), then \(X\) is homeomorphic to \(Z\). The \(n\)-fold hyperspace \(C_n(Z)\) of a metric continuum \(Z\) is the hyperspace of the nonempty closed subsets of \(Z\) with at most \(n\) components. A continuum \(Z\) is said to have a unique hyperspace \(\mathcal H(Z)\) if \(Z\) is homeomorphic to a continuum \(Y\) whenever \(\mathcal H(Z)\) is homeomorphic to \(\mathcal H(Y)\). The following notation is introduced: \(\mathcal G= \{X:X\) is a finite graph\}, \(\mathcal D= \{X:X\) is a dendrite whose set of endpoints is closed\}, \(\mathcal L= \{X:X\) is a local dendrite\}, \(\mathcal LD= \{X\in \mathcal L:\) each point of \(X\) has a neighborhood which is in \(\mathcal D \}\). The main results of the paper are: {\parindent5mm \begin{itemize}\item[1.] Let \(X\) be a local dendrite and \(n \in \mathbb N\). Then \(X \in \mathcal LD\) if and only if \(C_n(X)\) has the property that its subset \(\{A\in C_n(X):\dim_A(C_n(X)) < \infty\}\) is dense in \(C_n(X)\). \item[2.] Let \(X,Y\in \mathcal LD\) and \(n\in \mathbb N- \{ 2 \}\). If \(C_n(X)\) is homeomorphic to \(C_n(Y)\), then \(X\) is homeomorphic to \(Y\) unless \(n=1\) and \(X\) is an arc and \(X\) is a simple closed curve. \item[3.] Let \(X\in \mathcal LD\) and \(n\in \mathbb N- \{ 2 \}\). Then \(X\) has unique hyperspace \(C_n(X)\) unless \(n=1\) and \(X\) is an arc and \(X\) is a simple closed curve. \item[4.] Let \(X\in \mathcal LD\), \(Y\) be a continuum and \(n,m \in \mathbb N- \{2\}\). If \(C_n(X)\) is homeomorphic to \(C_m(Y)\), then \(X\) is homeomorphic to \(Y\) unless \(n=1, m=1\) and \(X\) is an arc and \(X\) is a simple closed curve. \end{itemize}}