Homotopy properties of the space \(I_f(X)\) of idempotent probability measures (Q2291214)

The purpose of the paper is to investigate properties of the space of idempotent probability measures from the point of view of theory of retracts and shape theory. Throughout the paper the considered spaces are compact Hausdorff spaces. In the paper for each space \(X\) the set \(I(X)\) of all idempotent measures \(\mu:C(X)\to \mathbb R\) from the Banach algebra of real valued continuous functions on \(X\) endowed with the topology of pointwise convergence is considered and a normal functor \({I}:\mathbf{Comp}\to\mathbf{Comp}\) in the sense of V. V. Fedorchuk is constructed. This functor induces a functor \(I_f:\mathbf{Comp}\to\mathbf{Comp}\) such that the set \(\delta(X)\) of Dirac measures lies in \(I_f(X)\). The main results of the paper are the following theorems and corollaries. Theorem 1. For any compact space \(X\), the space \(\delta(X)\) is a strong deformation retract of the compact \(I_f(X)\). Let \(\mathrm{Sh}(X)\) be the shape of \(X\) in the sense of K. Borsuk. Corollary 1. For any compact space \(X\), \[\mathrm{Sh}(X)=\mathrm{Sh}(I_f(X)). \] Theorem 2. The functor \(I_f\) preserves the contractibility of compact spaces, i.e. if \(X\) is a contractible compact space, then so is \(I_f(X)\). At the end of the paper some basic results are established. Theorem 3. Let \(X\) be an \(\mathrm{ANR}\) compact space. Then \(I_f(X)\) is an \(\mathrm{ANR}\)-space. Corollary 2. The functor \(I_f\) preserves \(\mathrm{ANR}\) compact spaces. Corollary 3. Given a compact space \(X\), \(I_f(X)\in \mathrm{ANR}\) if and only if \(X\in \mathrm{ANR}\).