On homomorphism spaces of metrizable groups (Q1399148)

A topological group \(K\) is radical-based if it has a countable base \(\{\Lambda_n\}\) at \(e\), such that each \(\Lambda_n\) is symmetric, and for all \(n\in N\) two conditions are satisfied: (1) \((\Lambda_n)^n\subseteq \Lambda_1\); (2) \(a^1,a^2,\dots,a^n\in \Lambda_1\) implies \(a\in \Lambda_n\). For two topological groups \(G\) and \(K\), let \(H(G,K)\) denote the space of all continuous homomorphisms from \(G\) to \(K\) equipped with the compact-open topology. \textit{M. J. Chasco} [Arch. Math. 70, 22--28 (1998; Zbl 0899.22001)] has shown that whenever \(G\) is an abelian metrizable topological group, \(H(G,T)\) (i.e., its dual group) is a \(k\)-space. The present paper generalizes this result by proving that \(H(G,K)\) is a \(k\)-space, whenever \(G\) is a (not necessarily abelian) metrizable topological group and \(K\) is a compact radical-based topological group. As a consequence it is obtained that if \(D\) is a dense subgroup of \(G\) then \(H(D,K)\) is homeomorphic to \(H(G,K)\).