Lipschitz retractions on symmetric products of trees (Q2065379)

A \textbf{retraction} of a (topological) space \(X\) onto a subspace \(A\subset X\) is a continuous map \(r:X\rightarrow A\) such that \(r|_A=id_A\). A map between metric spaces \(f:X\rightarrow Y\) is \textbf{Lipschitz} if there is a number \(L\geq 0\) such that \(d(f(x),f(x'))\leq Ld(x,x')\) for all \(x,x'\in X\). If \(X\) is a metric space and \(n\geq 1\), the \(n\)-fold \textbf{symmetric product} of \(X\) is the set \(F_n(X)\), of nonempty subsets of \(X\) of cardinality at most \(n\), as a metric space with respect to the \emph{Hausdorff distance} between subsets of \(X\). An \textbf{arc} is a space that is homeomorphic to the interval \([0,1]\subset\mathbb{R}\). A \textbf{continuum} is a compact connected metric space with more than one point. A \textbf{finite graph} is a continuum that can be written as the union of a finite number of arcs (called \textbf{edges}) that can only intersect each other at (one or both of) their endpoints. A \textbf{tree} is a finite graph with no subspace that is homeomorphic to the circle \(S^1\). A \textbf{simple \(m\)-od} (\(m\) a positive integer) is a tree consisting of \(m\) edges that intersect at a single point (called the \textbf{vertex} of the simple \(m\)-od). This paper considers the interesting problem (first proposed by \textit{L. V. Kovalev} [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 143, No. 2, 801--809 (2015; Zbl 1323.30074)]) of finding Lipschitz retractions \(F_n(X)\rightarrow F_{n-1}(X)\), for the special case where \(X\) is a tree. It is explicitly shown that \begin{itemize} \item[(i)] if \(X\) is a simple \(m\)-od then Lipschitz retractions \(F_n(X)\rightarrow F_{n-1}(X)\) exist for all \(n\geq 1\) and that \item[(ii)] if \(X\) is any tree then Lipschitz retractions \(F_n(X)\rightarrow F_{n-1}(X)\) exist for \(n=2,3\). \end{itemize} Open problems are proposed regarding improvement of the Lipschitz constants on simple \(m\)-mods in (i) above and the existence of Lipschitz retractions on trees for \(n>3\) in (ii) above.