Constructing selections stepwise over cones of simplicial complexes (Q1985670)

A space \(X\) is called a (finite) \(C\)-space if for any sequence \(\{\mathcal{U}_n:n<\omega\}\) of open covers of \(X\) there exists a sequence \(\{\mathcal{V}_n:n<\omega\}\) of pairwise disjoint open families in \(X\) such that each \(\mathcal{V}_n\) refines \(\mathcal{U}_n\) and \(\bigcup_{n<\omega} \mathcal{V}_n (\bigcup_{n<m}\mathcal{V}_n)\) is a cover of \(X\) (for some \(m)\). In infinite-dimension-theory \(C\)-spaces have become very important after their introduction by \textit{W. E. Haver} [Lect. Notes Math. 375, 108--113 (1974; Zbl 0287.54028)] and extension beyond compact metric spaces by \textit{D. F. Addis} and \textit{J. H. Gresham} [Fundam. Math. 101, 195--205 (1978; Zbl 0397.54051)]. The importance of these spaces lies in the nice properties like the invariance under product and cell-like mappings. The more compact variants of \(C\)-spaces are called finite \(C\)-spaces, defined by \textit{P. Borst} [Topology Appl. 154, No. 3, 665--674 (2007; Zbl 1116.54018)] and extended to normal spaces by \textit{V. Valov} [Set-Valued Anal. 10, No. 1, 37--51 (2002; Zbl 1010.54019)]. These types of \(C\)-spaces have even more nice properties, like compactification and admitting a transfinite dimension function \(\dim_C\) which is an extension of the covering dimension. The author produces additional characterizations of \(C\)-spaces and finite-\(C\)-spaces using selection and simplicial complexes. The main result is that for a paracompact space \(X\) the following conditions are equivalent: \begin{itemize} \item[(a)] \(X\) is a \(C\)-space. \item[(b)] For every space \(Y\), each aspherical sequence \(\varphi_n:X\leadsto Y,n<\omega\), of lower locally constant mappings admits a continous selection for its union \(\bigcup_{n<\omega}\varphi_n\). \item[(c)] Each sequence \(\mathcal{U}_n\), \(n<\omega\) of open covers of \(X\) admits a canonical map \(f:X\to |\Delta(\mathcal{U}_{<\omega})|\). \end{itemize} In condition (b) each mapping \(\varphi_n\) is set-valued and a selection \(g\) of \(\varphi_n\) selects one point \(g(x)\in\varphi_n(x)\). By an aspherical sequence we mean that for each \(n\) every continuous map of the \(n\)-sphere in each \(\varphi_n(x)\) can be extended to the \(n+1\)-ball in \(\varphi_{n+1}(x)\). Condition (c) works with the subcomplex \(\Delta(\mathcal{U}_{<\omega})\) consisting of those simplices \(\sigma\in N(\mathcal{U}_{<\omega})\) which have at most one vertex in each \(\mathcal{U}_n\), \(n<\omega\). A map is canonical when \(f^{-1}st\langle\alpha\rangle\subset \mathcal{U}_\alpha\) for each \(\mathcal{U}_\alpha\in \mathcal{U}_n\), \(n<\omega\) where \(st\langle\alpha\rangle\) is the relative interior of the union of simplices containing \(\alpha\). This result generalizes the result of \textit{V. V. Uspenskij} [Topology Appl. 85, No. 1--3, 351--374 (1998; Zbl 0921.54014)] that a paracompact space \(X\) is a \(C\)-space iff each space \(Y\) and each lower locally constant aspherical-valued mapping \(\Phi:X\to Y\) has a continuous selection. The paper step by step explains the relation between covers, cones of simplicial complexes and selections leading to the main auxiliary theorem that for a space \(Y\) and a paracompact space \(X\) and \(0<\mu\le\omega+1\), the following conditions are equivalent: \begin{itemize} \item[(a)] If \(\varphi_n:X\leadsto Y\), \(n<\omega\), is an aspherical sequence of lower locally constant mappings, then \(\bigcup_{n<\kappa}\varphi_n\) admits a continuous selection for some \(0<\kappa<\mu\). \item[(b)] If \(\mathcal{U}_n\), \(n<\omega\), is a sequence of open locally finite covers of \(X\), then \(|\Delta_{[\mathcal{U}_{<\kappa}]}|:X\to |\Delta(\mathcal{U}_{<\kappa})|\) has a continuous selection for some \(0<\kappa<\mu\). \end{itemize} Applying this theorem for \(\mu=\omega\) we obtain that for a paracompact space \(X\) the following conditions are equivalent: \begin{itemize} \item[(a)] \(X\) is a finite \(C\)-space. \item[(b)] For every space \(Y\), each aspherical sequence \(\varphi_k:X\leadsto Y\), \(k<\omega\), of lower locally constant mappings, there exists \(n<\omega\) such that \(\varphi_n\) has a continuous selection. \item[(c)] Each sequence \(\mathcal{U}_k\), \(k<\omega\) of open covers of \(X\) admits a canonical map \(f:X\to|\Delta(\mathcal{U}_{\le n})|\) for some \(n<\omega\). \end{itemize} The equivalence of (a) and (b) was already proven by Valov [loc. cit.]. An analogue result to characterize spaces with \(\dim\le n\) follows, where (a) \(\leftrightarrow\) (b) was already shown by Ernest Michael, cf. [\textit{V. V. Uspenskij}, loc. cit.]. The main conclusion is that again we observe that \(C\)-spaces have nice properties, which are a natural extension of the covering dimension for finite dimensional spaces.