Continuous convergence and duality of limits of topological Abelian groups (Q1012407)

If \(G\) is a Hausdorff topological abelian group, then its group of continuous characters, endowed with the compact-open topology, is denoted by \(\widehat G\) and called the Pontryagin-dual (\(P\)-dual) of \(G\). \(G\) is called \(P\)-reflexive if the evaluation map \(\eta_G: G\to\widehat{\widehat G}\) is an isomorphism of topological groups. Among important problems concerning \(P\)-duality which have been intensively studied over the years by many authors we mention: A. Find conditions that ensure the \(P\)-reflexivity of groups. B. Determine the \(P\)-dual of direct, respectively, inverse limits. One of the most well-known results concerning problem A is the Pontryagin-van Kampen duality theorem which states that every locally compact topological abelian group is \(P\)-reflexive. Further contributions to problems A and B, related to the paper under review, have been brought by \textit{S. Kaplan} in [Duke Math. J. 17, 419--435 (1950; Zbl 0041.36101)]: It is proved that sequential direct and inverse limits of locally compact topological abelian groups are \(P\)-reflexive, and that the \(P\)-dual of a sequential direct (respectively, inverse) limit of such groups is the inverse (respectively, direct) limit of the corresponding sequence of \(P\)-duals. The present paper is devoted to another duality concept, the so-called \(c\)-duality. In \(c\)-duality theory one starts with an object more general than a topological abelian group, namely with a convergence abelian group \(G\) (i.e., an abelian group endowed with a convergence structure compatible with the group structure), and endows the group \(\Gamma G\) of morphisms from \(G\) into the circle group with the continuous convergence structure. Thus one obtains a convergence group, denoted by \(\Gamma_cG\), called the convergence-dual (\(c\)-dual) of \(G\). If \(G\) is a locally compact topological abelian group, then \(\widehat G=\Gamma_cG\). The authors use as starting point for their investigations some results contained in [\textit{R. Beattie} and \textit{H.-P. Butzmann}, Convergence structures and applications to functional analysis. Berlin: Springer (2002; Zbl 1246.46003)], results which are related to the analog of problems A and B in the \(c\)-duality setting. The main theorems of the present paper describe the \(c\)-duality relation between direct and inverse limits of convergence abelian groups, thus generalizing the above mentioned results of Kaplan about the \(P\)-duality of direct and inverse sequences of locally compact abelian groups. It is shown, using category theoretical arguments, that the \(c\)-dual of the direct limit of a (direct) system of convergence abelian groups is the inverse limit of the corresponding (inverse) system of \(c\)-duals of the groups. The \(c\)-dual of the inverse limit cannot be obtained in such a natural way as the \(c\)-dual of the direct limit, and requires restrictions on the groups and morphisms. The authors show that the \(c\)-dual of the inverse limit of certain (inverse) systems of nuclear topological groups is equal, respectively, closely related to the direct limit of the corresponding (direct) system of \(c\)-duals of the groups.