Compact spaces with a P-base (Q2040145)

If \((P,\le)\) is a partial order then a local base \(\mathcal{B}\) at a point~\(x\) of a topological space~\(X\) is called a local \(P\)-base at~\(x\) if \(\mathcal{B}\) can be written as \(\{B_p:p\in P\}\) in such a way that \(p\le q\) implies \(B_q\subseteq B_p\). The space~\(X\) is said to have a \(P\)-base if there is a local \(P\)-base at every point of~\(X\).\par The special case of \(P=\omega^\omega\) with the pointwise ordering of functions was studied in depth in~[\textit{T. Banakh}, Diss. Math. 538, 1--141 (2019; Zbl 1470.54015)]. The authors answer two questions from the latter paper by showing that under the assumption \(\mathfrak{b}>\aleph_1\), every compact space with an~\(\omega^\omega\)-base is first-countable and every \emph{scattered} compact space with an~\(\omega^\omega\)-base is countable. (Note: the abstract erroneously states that all compact spaces with an \(\omega^\omega\)-base are metrizable.) The proofs establish more general results for partial orders that have calibre~\(\aleph_1\) and are of the form \(\mathcal{K}(M)\) (family of compact subsets) for some separable metrizable~space~\(M\). The partial order~\(\omega^\omega\) is (essentially) of this form, with \(M\) the space of irrational numbers, and the assumption \(\mathfrak{b}>\aleph_1\) implies that it has calibre~\(\aleph_1\).\par The final result adapts the construction from~[\textit{I. Juhász} et al., Topology Appl. 156, No. 10, 1863--1879 (2009; Zbl 1168.54003)] (non-trivially) to produce a model in which Martin's Axiom plus \(\mathfrak{c}=\aleph_2\) (hence \(\mathfrak{b}>\aleph_1\)) holds and in which there is a compact space that has countable tightness, is not sequential, and has a \(P\)-base for some partial order~\(P\) with calibre~\(\aleph_1\). This shows that calibre~\(\aleph_1\) by itself is not strong enough to establish the positive results above.