Almost disjoint families and relative versions of covering properties of \(\kappa\)-paracompactness type (Q2400887)

Let \(\mathcal A\) be an almost disjoint (a.d.) family of subsets of \( \omega\). The space \(\Psi (\mathcal A)\) is \(\mathcal A \cup \omega\), endowed with the smallest \(T_1\) topology such that the points of \( \omega\) are isolated and \( \{A\} \cup A \) is open, for every \(A \in \mathcal A\). The most studied case is when \(\mathcal A\) is maximal a.d.\ (MAD). In this case \(\Psi (\mathcal A)\) is frequently called an Isbell-Mrówka space [\textit{S. Mrówka}, Fundam. Math. 41, 105--106 (1954; Zbl 0055.41304)] and is an example of a first-countable, zero-dimensional, locally compact, pseudocompact Tychonoff space which is neither countably compact, nor normal, nor countably paracompact. See, e.\ g., [\textit{H. Ohta}, ``Special spaces'', Ch.\ b-13 in \textit{K. P. Hart} (ed.) et al., Encyclopedia of general topology. Amsterdam: Elsevier (2004; Zbl 1059.54001)]. In the paper under review the authors provide conditions equivalent to countable paracompactness of \(\Psi (\mathcal A)\), in the general case when \(\mathcal A\) is an a.d.\ family. It is a consequence of one of these conditions that if \(\mathcal A\) is MAD, then \(\Psi (\mathcal A)\) is not countably paracompact. Generalizations of countable paracompactness with reference to a cardinal \(\kappa\) have been introduced by \textit{M. E. Rudin} in [Lond. Math. Soc. Lect. Note Ser. 93, 175--193 (1985; Zbl 0566.54009)]. In the paper under review properties of this kind satisfied by \(\Psi (\mathcal A)\) are intensively studied, together with relative versions. Interesting connections are established with various set-theoretical properties, for example with the \(\kappa\)-Freese-Nation property. See, e.\ g., [\textit{S. Fuchino} and \textit{L. Soukup}, Fundam. Math. 154, No. 2, 159--176 (1997; Zbl 0882.03046)] for some history of the \(\kappa\)-Freese-Nation property. Many problems are stated in the final section of the paper, suggesting further lines of research.