Relative LS categories and higher topological complexities of maps (Q2105006)

This work is considered as an instance of Topological Robotics. Here \(\mathrm{TC}_n(-)\) is the higher topological complexity introduced by \textit{Y. B. Rudyak} [Topology Appl. 157, No. 5, 916--920 (2010; Zbl 1187.55001)]. Note that the authors use the reduced version, i.e., \(\mathrm{TC}_n(X)=0\) if and only if \(X\) is contractible. In the present paper, the authors develop three relative LS categories of a map. Let \(f: (X, A)\to (Y, B)\) be a map. \begin{itemize} \item[1.] The \textit{relative category} of \(f\), denoted by \(\operatorname{relcat}(f)\), is the least non-negative integer \(n\) such that \(X\) can be covered by open sets \(V_0, V_1,\ldots, V_n\) with \(A\subset V_0\), and for \(1\leq i\leq n\), the map \(f|_{V_i}\) is inessential (i.e., null-homotopic), and there exists a homotopy of pairs \(H: (V_0\times I, A\times I)\to (Y,B)\) with \(H(-, 1)\) is the map \(f|_{V_0}\) and \(H(V_0\times \{0\})\subset B\). \item[2.] The \textit{quasi-strong LS category} of \(f\), denoted by \(\operatorname{qscat}(f)\), is the least non-negative integer \(n\) such that \(X\) can be covered by open sets \(V_0, V_1,\ldots, V_n\) such that for \(0\leq i\leq n\) there is a homotopy \(H_i: V_i\times I\to Y\) with \(H_i(-, 1)\) is the map \(f|_{V_i}\) and \(H_i(V_i\times \{0\})\subset B\). \item[3.] The \textit{strong relative category} of \(f\), denoted by \(\operatorname{srelcat}(f)\), is the least non-negative integer \(n\) such that \(X\) can be covered by open sets \(V_0, V_1,\ldots, V_n\) such that for \(0\leq i\leq n\) there is a homotopy \(H_i: V_i\times I\to Y\) with \(H_i(-, 1)\) is the map \(f|_{V_i}\), \(H_i(V_i\times \{0\})\subset B\), and \(H_i(a,t)=f(a)\) for all \(a\in A\) and \(t\in I\). \end{itemize} They show the following properties. \begin{itemize} \item[1.] The numbers \(\operatorname{relcat}(f), \operatorname{qscat}(f), \operatorname{srelcat}(f)\) are relative homotopy invariants. \item[2.] If \(f: (X, A)\to (Y, B)\) and \(g: (Y, B)\to (Z, C)\), then \begin{align*} \operatorname{relcat}(g\circ f)&\leq\min\{\operatorname{relcat}(f),\operatorname{relcat}(g)\};\\ \operatorname{qscat}(g\circ f)&\leq\min\{\operatorname{qscat}(f),\operatorname{qscat}(g)\};\\ \operatorname{srelcat}(g\circ f)&\leq\min\{\operatorname{srelcat}(f),\operatorname{srelcat}(g)\}.\\ \end{align*} \item[3.] Let \(f: (X, A)\to (Y, B)\) and \(g: (Z, C)\to (W, D)\) be two maps such that \(X\times Z\) is a completely normal space. Then, \begin{itemize} \item[a)] for the map \[ f\times g: (X\times Z,X\times C\cup A\times Z)\to (Y\times W, Y\times D\cup B\times W), \] \(\operatorname{relcat}(f\times g)\leq \operatorname{relcat}(f) + \operatorname{relcat}(g)\). \item[b)] for the map \[ f\times g: (X\times Z,A\times C)\to (Y\times W, B\times D), \] \(\operatorname{qscat}(f\times g)\leq \operatorname{qscat}(f) + \operatorname{qscat}(g)\) and \(\operatorname{srelcat}(f\times g)\leq \operatorname{srelcat}(f) + \operatorname{sreçcat}(g)\). \end{itemize} \item[4.] \(\operatorname{nil}\left(\operatorname{Im}\left(f^\ast:H^\ast(Y,B)\to H^\ast(X,A)\right)\right)\leq \operatorname{srelcat}(f)\). \end{itemize} Then, they introduce a notion of higher topological complexity of a map. Let \(f: X\to Y\) be a map, \(n\geq 2\), \(f^n=f\times\cdots\times f: X^n\to Y^n\) and \(\overline{f^n}:\left(X^n,\Delta_n(X)\right)\to\left(Y^n,\Delta_n(Y)\right)\) be the induced map, where \(\Delta_n(X)=\{(x,\ldots,x)\in X^n:~x\in X\}\) is the diagonal of the product \(X^n\). \textbf{3.2 Definition.} The \textit{\(n\)-th topological complexity} of \(f\) is given by \[ \mathrm{TC}_n(f)=\operatorname{qscat}(\overline{f^n}). \] The authors show the following properties: For \(n\geq 2\), we have that \begin{itemize} \item[1.] The number \(\mathrm{TC}_n(f)\) is a homotopy invariant. \item[2.] \(\mathrm{TC}_n(f)\leq \mathrm{TC}_{n+1}(f)\). \item[3.] \( \mathrm{TC}_{n}(id)=\mathrm{TC}_n(X)\). \item[4.] \(\mathrm{TC}_n(f)\leq\min\{\mathrm{TC}_n(X),\mathrm{TC}_n(Y)\}\). \end{itemize} Also, they introduce the concept of weak higher topological complexity of a map.