Fundamental groups of James reduced products (Q2161378)

Let \(X\) be a topological space and \(J(X)\) be the James reduced product of \(X\) with the basepoint \(e\in X\). This construction is well-known in homotopy theory since if \((X,e)\) is path connected and well-pointed, i.e. the inclusion \(\{e\}\rightarrow X\) is a cofibration, then the fundamental group of \((J(X),e)\) is naturally isomorphic to the first homology group of \(X\), \(H_1(X)\). The authors study the group \(\pi_1(J(X),e)\) in much greater generality, i.e when \((X,e)\) is not well-pointed. One of the main results of the paper is that the canonical injection \(\sigma :X\rightarrow J(X)\) induces a surjection \(\sigma_{\#}:\pi_1(X,e)\rightarrow \pi_1(J(X),e)\) for any path connected Hausdorff space \(X\). Moreover, the authors combine this main result with notions of transfinite \(\pi_1\)-commutativity and infinitary abelianization introduced in previous work of the authors [\textit{J. Brazas} and \textit{P. Gillespie}, J. Aust. Math. Soc. 112, No. 3, 289--311 (2022; Zbl 1495.57011)] to characterize the group \(\pi_1(J(X),e)\) for a variety of examples. To do this the authors first show that \(J(X)\) is transfinitely \(\pi_1\)-commutative at \(e\in X\) for any path connected Hausdorff space \(X\). Then using infinitary abelianization of the fundamental group the authors compute \(\pi_1(J(X),e)\) for some interesting examples as follows. \begin{itemize} \item[1.] If \(\mathbb{HE}\) is the shrinking wedge of circles, i.e. the Hawaiian earring space, with wild point \(e\), then \(\pi_1(J(\mathbb{HE}),e)\cong \mathbb{Z}^{\mathbb{N}}\). More generally, \(\pi_1(J(\tilde{\bigvee}_{k\in\mathbb{N}}X_k),e)\cong \prod_{k\in\mathbb{N}}H_1(X_k) \) for any shrinking wedge \(\tilde{\bigvee}_{k\in\mathbb{N}}X_k\) of compact polyhedra. \item[2.] If \(\mathbb{G}\) is the Griffiths twin cone with wild point \(e\), then \(\pi_1(J(\mathbb{G}),e)=0\). More generally, \(\pi_1(J(\bigvee_{k}X_k),e)\cong \bigoplus_{k}\pi_1(J(X_k), e_k) \) for any one-point union \(\bigvee_{k}X_k\). \item[3.] If \(\mathbb{HA}\) is the harmonic archipelago with wild point \(e\), then \(\pi_1(J(\mathbb{HA}),e)\cong \mathbb{Z}^{\mathbb{N}}/N\), where \(N=\langle e_n-e_{n+1}|n\in\mathbb{N}\rangle\) is generated by differences of consecutive basis vectors. \end{itemize} Finally, considering some different situations the authors conclude the paper with an open problem as follows: Let \(\mathfrak{H}_{\{e\}}(X)\) be the infinitary abelianization of \(\pi_1(X,e)\) at \(\{e\}\). Then for a path connected Hausdorff space \(X\) and point \(e\in X\), is the natural surjection \(\mathfrak{H}_{\{e\}}(X)\rightarrow \pi_1(J(X),e)\) always an isomorphism?