Čech systems that induce approximate inverse systems (Q2187142)

Given a nonempty space \(X\), a Čech system for \(X\) in the sense of this paper is a system \({\mathbf U}=(|N(\mathcal U)|,\mathcal H_{\mathcal U}, p_{\mathcal{UV}}, (\mathrm{Cov}(X), \preceq))\), where \(\mathrm{Cov}(X)\) is the collection of normal covers of \(X\) with the order defined by refinement (write \(\mathcal U\preceq\mathcal V\) if \(\mathcal V\) refines \(\mathcal U\)), for each \(\mathcal U\in\mathrm{Cov}(X)\), \(|N(\mathcal U)|\) is the polyhedron of the nerve and \(\mathcal H_{\mathcal U}\in\mathrm{Cov}(|N(\mathcal U)|)\), and for \(\mathcal U,\mathcal V\in\mathrm{Cov}(X)\) with \(\mathcal U\preceq\mathcal V\), \(p_{\mathcal{UV}}:|N(\mathcal V)| \to |N(\mathcal U)|\) is the projection. This paper concerns a question of S. Mardešić: given a space \(X\), does there exist a Čech system for \(X\) that is an approximate system? Here, the notion of approximate inverse system is in the sense of \textit{S. Mardešić} and the second author [Pac. J. Math. 138, No. 1, 129--144 (1989; Zbl 0631.54006)]. This question is answered in the negative for Hausdorff arc-like continua [\textit{V. Matijević}, Rad Hrvat. Akad. Znan. Umjet., Mat. Znan. 532(21), 169--177 (2017; Zbl 1388.54012)]. In the paper under review, the authors prove that for any nonempty discrete space \(X\), none of the Čech systems for \(X\) is an approximate system. The main result of the paper shows that for any strongly \(0\)-dimensional \(T_1\) space \(X\) that has a limit point, there exists a Čech system for \(X\) that is an approximate system. Here, a strongly \(0\)-dimensional space means a space having covering dimension \(0\). They also show that such a space is homeomorphic to the limit of an inverse system of nonempty discrete spaces.