Universal acyclic resolutions for finitely generated coefficient groups. (Q1421969)

This paper may be considered as part of a series of research articles in the area of resolution theory in cohomological dimension, or now more generally, in extension theory. The first of these, the Edwards-Walsh resolution theorem [\textit{J. Walsh}, Lect. Notes Math. 870, 105--118 (1981; Zbl 0474.55002)] was instrumental in \textit{A. Dranishnikov}'s [Math. USSR, Sb. 63, 539--546 (1989); translation from Mat. Sb., Nov. Ser. 135 (177), 551--557 (1988; Zbl 0667.55002)] simultaneous solution of Alexandroff's problem about the correlation between covering dimension and cohomological dimension modulo \(\mathbb Z\) and the cell-like map dimension raising problem. To see the latest developments in the area one should consult [\textit{M. Levin}, Isr. J. Math. 135, 193--203 (2003; Zbl 1054.55002)] and [\textit{L. Rubin} and \textit{P. Schapiro}, Resolutions for metrizable compacta in extension theory, Trans. Am. Math. Soc., to appear]. The latter traces some of the history of this subject. The main result of this paper can be stated as follows. {Theorem:} Let \(X\) be a metrizable compactum, \(n\geq 2\), and \(K\) a simply connected CW-complex with finitely generated homotopy groups such that e-dim\(X\leq K\). Then there exists a metrizable compactum \(Z\) with dim\(Z\leq n\) and a surjective UV\(^{n-1}\)-map \(r:Z\rightarrow X\) such that e-dim\(Z\leq K\) and \(r\) is \(K\)-acyclic. To say that e-dim\(X\leq K\) means that \(K\) is an absolute extensor for \(X\), i.e., every map of a closed subset of \(X\) to \(K\) extends to a map of \(X\) to \(K\). The statement that \(r\) is \(K\)-acyclic means that each fiber \(r^{-1}(x)\) of \(r\) is \(K\)-acyclic, that is, every map of \(r^{-1}(x)\) to \(K\) is null-homotopic. In the form stated above, the theorem is given in an extension-theoretic manner. It turns out, however, that it can be stated in terms of cohomological dimension. If one deletes the hypothesis about \(K\), then along with dim\(Z\leq n\) and the UV\(^{n-1}\) part, one concludes that dim\(_G Z\leq k\) and \(r\) is \(G\)-acyclic for every \(k\geq 2\) such that dim\(_GX\leq k\leq n\).