Microhomogeneity (Q2216601)

In this work the notion of \textit{microhomogeneity} is investigated, a type of local homogeneity. Recall a space \(X\) is \textit{homogeneous} if for all \(x,y\) in \(X\) there exists a homeomorphism \(h:X\to X\) such that \(h(x)=y\). The authors define a space \(X\) to be \textit{microhomogeneous} if for every \(x,y\) in \(X\) there is a homeomorphism \(h\) from a neighborhood of \(x\) onto a neighborhood of \(y\) such that \(h(x)=y\). It is clear that every homogeneous space is microhomogeneous. The paper is roughly divided into two sections. The first undertakes an analysis of cardinal functions and cardinality bounds on microhomogeneous spaces. Using modified techniques of van Douwen, the authors show in Theorem 3.1 that if \(X\) is a regular microhomogeneous space then \(|X|\leq 2^{\pi w(X)}\). This is improved in Theorem 3.5, where it is shown that if \(X\) is a microhomogeneous Hausdorff space then \(|X|\leq d(X)^{\pi\chi(X)}\). This bound had been previously shown for homogeneous spaces. Results for compact, Hausdorff, microhomogeneous spaces \(X\) are also given, including \(|X|\leq 2^{s(X)}\) for such spaces and \(|X|\leq 2^{c(X)}\) if \(X\) is additionally hereditarily normal. The cardinal invariant \(cn\chi(X)\) is introduced and it is shown that \(|X|\leq 2^{cn\chi(X)t(X)}\) for compact, microhomogeneous, Hausdorff spaces. This result is related to de la Vega's Theorem for homogeneous compacta. An error is found in [\textit{N. A. Carlson}, Topology Appl. 160, No. 3, 508--512 (2013; Zbl 1263.54005)] and is corrected under the assumption that \(X\) is regular. The second section of the paper is dedicated to examples distinguishing microhomogeneity from homogeneity to increasing degrees of extremity. A simple example from [\textit{D. von Dantzig}, Fundam. Math. 15, 102--125 (1930; JFM 56.1130.01)] is the disjoint union of a line and a circle. Further examples are given of a) a compact connected microhomogeneous subspace of \(\mathbb{R}^2\) that is not homogeneous, b) a microhomogeneous space \(X\) with no nonempty open homogeneous subspaces, c) a microhomogeneous space \(X\) such that \(X^\omega\) is not homogeneous, and d) a remarkable example of a microhomogeneous space that is not uniformly microhomogeneous and contains no homogeneous neighborhoods. This last example uses various analytic tools that are given as an appendix.