Network characterization of Gul'ko compact spaces and their relatives (Q1883374)

Let \(K\) be a compact topological space. \(K\) is Eberlein compact if it is homeomorphic to a weakly compact subset of a Banach space. \(K\) is Talagrand (resp., {Gul'ko}) compact whenever \((C(K),{\mathcal T}_p)\) is \({\mathcal K}\)-analytic (resp., \({\mathcal K}\)-countably determined). Moreover, \(K\) is Corson compact if it embeds in a \(\Sigma\)-product of real lines. The study of those classes and their interplay with Banach Space Theory has been and is a very active field of research. Characterizations of those classes of compacta have been given in terms of covering properties and of separating families of subsets. Banach-space characterizations are given by \textit{M. Fabian, G. Godefroy, V. Zizler} and the reviewer in [J. Math. Anal. Appl. 297, No.2, 419--455 (2004; Zbl 1063.46013)]. Relevant to the content of the reviewed paper are \textit{G. Gruenhage's} characterization of Corson and Eberlein compacta [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 100, 371--376 (1987; Zbl 0622.54020)] and \textit{G. A. Sokolov's} [Comment. Math. Univ. Carolin. 25, 219--231 (1984; Zbl 0577.54014)] and \textit{S. Mercouraki's} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 300, 307--327 (1987; Zbl 0621.46018)] characterizations of Gul'ko compacta. A family \(\mathcal N\) of subsets of a topological space \(X\) is said to be a \textit{network} (a concept introduced by A. V. Arkhangel'skii) if for every open set \(U\subset X\) and any point \(x\in U\) there is \(N\in\mathcal N\) such that \(x\in N\subset U\). Networks have been used successfully in characterizing Eberlein compacta by \textit{A. Dow}, \textit{H. Junnila} and \textit{J. Pelant} [Proc. London Math. Soc. 75, No.2, 349--368 (1997; Zbl 0886.54014)], and in renorming theory (see, for example, Moltó, Orihuela, Troyaski and Valdivia, A Non Linear Transfer Technique for Renorming, (to appear)). Here, Talagrand and Gul'ko compacta are characterized by using networks; the main result in this very interesting and technical paper is the following (Theorem 24): For a compact space \(X\) the following are equivalent: (i) \(X\) is Gul'ko compact. (ii) \(X^2\setminus\Delta\) is weakly \(\sigma\)-metacompact (here \(\Delta\) is the diagonal). (iii) \(X^2\) is hereditarily weakly \(\sigma\)-metacompact. (iv) \(X\) admits a \(\Sigma\)-point-finitely expandable network. A similar characterization (Theorem 35) is given for the class of Talagrand compacta. A byproduct of the main theorem is a positive answer to the conjecture of Gruenhage [loc. cit.] that the condition \(K\) compact and \(K^2\) hereditarily weakly \(\sigma\)-metacompact would characterize Gul'ko compact spaces. Among many other interesting results is a settlement (in the negative) of another conjecture of Gruenhage [loc. cit.] namely if the weaker condition that \(K\) is Corson compact and \(K^2\) hereditarily weakly submetacompact characterizes Gul'ko compact spaces, by using an example of \textit{S. Argyros} and \textit{S. Mercourakis} [Rocky Mountain J. Math. 23, 395--446 (1993; Zbl 0797.46009)] together with the present authors' results.