Increasing strong size properties and strong size block properties (Q2215678)

A continuum is a nonempty, compact, connected metric space. Given a continuum \(X\) and \(n\) a positive integer, the \(n\)-fold hyperspace of \(X\), which is denoted by \(C_n(X)\), is the family of all nonempty, closed subsets of \(X\) with at most \(n\) components. The \(n\)-fold symmetric product of \(X\), denoted by \(F_n(X)\), is the family of all nonempty, closed subsets of \(X\) with at most \(n\) points. Both families \(C_n(X)\) and \(F_n(X)\) are endowed with the Hausdorff metric. A strong size map for \(C_n(X)\) is a map \(\mu\colon C_n(X)\to [0,1]\) such that \(\mu(A) = 0\) for each \(A\in F_n(X)\), \(\mu(X) = 1\) and if \(A\subset B\), \(A\neq B\) and \(B\notin F_n(X)\), then \(\mu(A)<\mu(B)\). Given a strong size map for \(C_n(X)\), \(\mu\), a strong size level is a subset of the form \(\mu^{-1}(t)\) for \(t\in[0,1]\). A strong size block is a subset of the form \(\mu^{-1}([s,r])\) for \(0\leq s < r\leq 1\). \textit{H. Hosokawa} [Houston J. Math. 37, No. 3, 955--965 (2011; Zbl 1233.54004)] defined strong size maps and proved that strong size levels and strong size blocks are always continua. A topological property \(\mathcal{P}\) is called: strong size property if whenever \(X\) has property \(\mathcal{P}\), so does every strong size level; increasing strong size property provided that if \(t_0\in[0,1)\) and \(\mu^{-1}(t_0)\) has property \(\mathcal{P}\), then \(\mu^{-1}(t)\) has property \(\mathcal{P}\) for each \(t\in (t_0,1)\); strong size block property if whenever \(X\) has property \(\mathcal{P}\), so does every strong size block. In the paper under review, the authors prove, among other very interesting results, that the properties of pathwise connectedness, continuum-chainability, and being a locally connected continuum are increasing strong size properties. Besides, they also show that being a one-dimensional continuum is not an increasing strong size property. The authors also prove some strong size block properties, for example, the property of being aposyndetic and countable closed set aposyndetic.