A topological characterization of end sets of a twinning of a tree (Q1840825)

A twin tree is a pair of trees, \((T,T')\), together with a codistance function \(\delta\) between their vertices. This function is non-negative and integer-valued, satisfies the property that if \(\delta(x,y) =n\) and \(y'\) is adjacent to \(y\), then \(\delta(x,y') = \delta(x,y)\pm 1\), and for \(n > 0\) we have \(+1\) on a unique \(y'\) adjacent to \(y\). The trees considered are infinite. The author places a topology on the set of ends of these trees (equivalence classes of infinite paths \(x_0,x_1,\dots\)). In this topology the codistance function determines dense subsets of the ends of the trees and pairs them up. In this paper the author gives two different characterizations of when a subset of ends for \(T\) can be the ends of a twin tree \(T'\). The first characterization involves a `rooted tree-like basis' for the ends. The second involves a special type of well-ordering.