Boundary sets in the Hilbert cube (Q1064586)

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Boundary sets in the Hilbert cube
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    Boundary sets in the Hilbert cube (English)
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    1985
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    This paper introduces the notion of a boundary set in the Hilbert cube Q, which is a subset B of Q such that (1) for every \(\epsilon >0\) there exists a map of Q into Q-B moving points less than \(\epsilon\) and (2) Q-B is homeomorphic to Hilbert space s. Several characterizations of boundary sets are supplied. One of them shows a \(\sigma\) Z-set X in Q to be a boundary set if and only if it has what is called the limit deformation property; namely, that there be a sequence of deformations \(h_ n: Q\times [0,1]\to Q\) such that (i) \(dist(h_ n(q,t),q)\leq t\) for every n, q and t and (ii) lim sup \(h_ n(Q\times [t,1])\subset X\) for every \(t>0\). Another is given in terms of a dense imbedding condition and a proximate connectedness property; it implies that a dense \(\sigma\) Z-set \(X\subset Q\) is a boundary set if and only if, given \(\epsilon >0\), there exists \(\delta >0\) such that, for each compact \(S\subset X\) with diam S\(<\partial\), there exists another compact \(K\subset X\) with diam K\(<\epsilon\) such that S is contractible in any neighborhood of K. The paper also presents two additional equivalent formulations of the limit deformation property. It goes on to consider boundary sets X satisfying a stronger deformation property, where there exists a homotopy \(h_ t: Q\to Q\), starting at the identity, such that \(h_ t(Q)\subset X\) for every \(t>0\). A \(\sigma\) Z- set X in Q is shown to be a boundary set with the deformation property if and only if it satisfies the aforementioned dense imbedding condition and is locally k-connected for all k. Several related properties are studied, including a tower condition useful for recognizing the cap sets (sets with the compact absorption property) introduced by R. D. Anderson (unpublished), and examples distinguishing some of these properties and demonstrating the possible local pathology of boundary sets are furnished. Despite the wealth of information provided in the paper under review, recognition of boundary sets can still be a subtle problem, as evidenced by the curious non-boundary set constructed by \textit{R. D. Anderson}, the author and \textit{J. van Mill} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 272, 311-321 (1982; Zbl 0508.54013)], generalizations of which have been constructed by \textit{P. L. Bowers} [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 93, 121-127 (1985; Zbl 0524.57009)].
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    proximately \(LC^{\infty }\)
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    boundary set in the Hilbert cube
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    \(\sigma \) Z-set
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    limit deformation property
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    cap sets
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    compact absorption property
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