What makes a space have large weight? (Q1329399)

Following \textit{M. G. Tkachenko} [Sov. Math., Dokl. 19, 382-385 (1978); translation from Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR 239, 546-549 (1978; Zbl 0404.54002)], the authors say that a space \(Y\) is weakly separated if it is possible to choose for each \(y \in Y\) a neighborhood \(f(y)\) of \(y\) in such a way that distinct \(y,z \in Y\) satisfy \(z \not\in f(y)\) or \(y \not\in f(z)\); and they write \[ R(X) = \sup \bigl\{ | Y | :Y \subseteq X, \quad Y \text{ is weakly separated} \bigr\}. \] The authors formulate several conditions (including two which are necessary and sufficient) which imply that a space of small character has large weight. They give in ZFC an example of a 0-dimensional space \(X\) such that \(| X | = w(X) = {\mathfrak c}\) and \(\chi (X) = \text{nw} (X) = \omega\); and with CH they find a 0-dimensional space \(Y\) such that \(| Y | = w(Y) = \text{nw} (Y) = \omega_ 1\) and \(\chi (Y) = R(Y) = \omega\). They prove further that it is consistent that \({\mathfrak c}\) ``is as large as you wish'' and there is a 0-dimensional space \(Z\) such that \(| Z | = w(Z) = \text{nw} (Z) = {\mathfrak c}\) and \(\chi (Z) = R(Z^ \omega) = \omega\). The principal new useful tool in the authors' arguments is that of a so- called irreducible base for a space \(X\), that is, a base \({\mathcal U}\) expressible in the form \({\mathcal U} = \bigcup_{x \in X} {\mathcal U}_ x\) such that for each \(x \in X\) (1) the set \({\mathcal U}_ x\) is a local base at \(x\) and (2) the set \(\bigcup_{y \neq x} {\mathcal U}_ y\) contains no local base at \(x\).