Degree of discrete generation of compact sets (Q1957058)

Let \(X\) be a space, \(A \subseteq X\). The \(d\)-closure of \(A\) is the set of all \(x\) so that there is some discrete \(Y \subseteq A\) with \(x \in\) cl \(Y\). \(X\) is discretely generated iff for every \(A \subseteq X\), the closure of \(A\) is the \(d\)-closure of \(A\). In [\textit{A. Dow, M. G. Tkachenko, V. V. Tkachuk} and \textit{R. G. Wilson}, Glas. Mat., III. Ser. 37, No.~1, 187--210 (2002; Zbl 1009.54005)] the authors investigated such spaces and closed with some questions. This paper constructs a counterexample to one of these questions under CH, and proves a theorem with a number of corollaries. The counterexample is: Assume CH. There is a discretely generated compact set whose square is not discretely generated. The space is constructed via inverse limits; it has weight \(\mathfrak c\) and exactly one point with uncountable character. The theorem is: Let \(X\) be a space, \(A \subset X\) and \(x \in\) cl \(A \setminus d\)-cl \(A\). Then \(\psi(x, \{x\} \cup A) < \psi(x, \{x\} \cup d\)-cl \(A)\). Here \(\psi\) is the pseudo-character. Several corollaries are given. I will mention two: Corollary. If \(\chi(X) \leq \aleph_{\alpha}\) then idc\((X) \leq \alpha+1\), where idc\((X)\) is the smallest ordinal \(\alpha\) so that for any \(A \subset X\), cl \(A\) is obtained by at most \(\alpha\) many iterations of the \(d\)-closure operator. Here \(\chi\) is the character. Corollary. If \(X\) is discretely generated, then idc\((X^n) \leq n\). Note that the second corollary gives a bound on the idc number of the square of the counterexample.