Inverse compactness (Q1346488)

This paper introduces the concept of inverse compactness. A space \(X\) is inversely compact if for every open cover \({\mathcal U}\) of \(X\), one can select a finite cover of \(X\) consisting of elements of \({\mathcal U}\) and their complements. This is equivalent to every independent family of closed subsets of \(X\) having nonempty intersection. This property sits between compactness and countable compactness. Variations of the definition adding restrictions on the cardinality of the covers (inversely countably compact, inversely Lindelöf, etc.) and the type of open sets used in the covers (cozero, clopen, etc.) are also investigated. A \(T_1\) space is inversely countably compact iff it is countably compact. There exists a \(T_1\) space which is inversely compact, but not compact; it is unknown, however, if such examples exist for \(T_2\) \((T_3, T_4)\) spaces.