The convergence approach to exponentiable maps. (Q1432741)

This paper is concerned with exponentiable functions, i.e. morphisms \(f: X\to Y\) in the category TOP of topological spaces for which the product induced functor \(xf: \text{TOP}/Y\to\text{TOP}/Y\) has a right adjoint. The fundamental characterization is proved showing that a continuous function is exponentiable if and only if it satisfies the so called ``ultrafilter interpolation property''. From this the result is derived that any perfect map (separated (i.e. vertically Hausdorff) and for which all pullbacks are closed) is exponentiable. This generalizes the classical (when \(Y\) is a point) result for compact Hausdorff spaces. It is also shown that exponentiable maps between Hausdorff spaces are simply restrictions of perfect maps to open subspaces. This generalizes the Whitehead-Michael characterization of locally compact Hausdorff spaces.