Pseudoradial spaces and copies of \(\omega_1 + 1\) (Q2295663)

In what follows, all topological spaces are assumed to be Hausdorff and ordinals are always endowed with the order topology. We assume the reader is familiar with the forcing axioms \(\mathbf{MA}\) (Martin's Axiom) and \(\mathbf{PFA}\) (Proper Forcing Axiom). The \textit{character} of a topological space \(X\) is the smallest infinite cardinal \(\kappa\) such that every point of \(X\) has a local base of size not larger than \(\kappa\). A topological space \(X\) is said to be \textit{pseudoradial} if for every non-closed subset \(A \subseteq X\) there is a point \(x \in \overline{A}\setminus A\) and there is a transfinite sequence \((x_\alpha)_{\alpha < \kappa}\) with range in \(A\) and converging to \(x\). Recall that a space \(X\) is \textit{radial} if for every subset \(A \subseteq X\) the following holds: whenever \(x \in \overline{A}\) there is a transfinite sequence of points of \(A\) converging to \(x\). The \textit{radial character} of a pseudoradial space \(X\) is the smallest infinite cardinal \(\kappa\) such that the definition of pseudoradiality for \(X\) works by taking only transfinite sequences of length not exceeding \(\kappa\). A sequence \((x_\alpha)_{\alpha < \kappa}\) converging to a point \(x \in X\) is said to be \textit{thin} if for any \(\beta < \kappa\) we have that \(x \notin \overline{\{x_\alpha: \alpha < \beta\}}\). A topological space is said to be \textit{almost radial} if in the usual definition of pseudoradiality we replace ``sequence'' with ``thin sequence''. Recently, the further notion of \textit{strongly pseudoradial spaces} appeared in the literature (see [\textit{J. Brazas} and \textit{P. Fabel}, Topol. Proc. 46, 255--276 (2015; Zbl 1322.54013)]). A topological space \(X\) is said to be strongly pseudoradial if for every non-closed subset \(A \subseteq X\) there is a limit ordinal \(\gamma\) and a continuous map \(f: \gamma +1 \to X\) such that \(f[\gamma]\subseteq A\) and \(f(\gamma) \notin A\). Brazas and Fabel [op. cit.] have pointed out that, without any loss of generality, in the above definition the ordinal \(\gamma\) can be assumed to be a regular cardinal and the function \(f\) to be injective. As a corollary of a theorem due to \textit{Z. Balogh} et al. [Bull. Am. Math. Soc., New Ser. 19, No. 1, 295--298 (1988; Zbl 0661.54007)], it is established in the paper under review that \(\mathbf{PFA}\) implies every countably compact regular space of character at most \(\omega_1\) to be strongly pseudoradial. In the paper under review the authors contribute with a number of results on the above described context. The main results of the paper are the following: \((i)\) \(\mathfrak{b} = \mathfrak{c} = \omega_2\) (which holds under \(\mathbf{MA} + \mathfrak{c} = \omega_2\)) implies that there is a compact pseudoradial space that is not strongly pseudoradial. \((ii)\) Although the authors were not able to answer the Question: ``Does \(\mathbf{PFA}\) imply that every compact Hausdorff pseudoradial space of radial character at most \(\omega_1\) is strongly pseudoradial?''\,, they were able to prove the following partial result: assuming \(\mathbf{PFA}\), if \(X\) is a compact almost radial space of radial character at most \(\omega_1\) then every point of \(X\) is either the limit of a countable sequence or the limit of a topological copy of \(\omega_1\). The paper ends with some more open questions. For instance: Does \(\mathbf{MA} + \mathfrak{c} = \omega_2\) imply that there is a compact almost radial space which is not strongly pseudoradial? Or: Does \(\mathbf{MA} + \mathfrak{c} = \omega_2\) imply that there is a pseudoradial space (of radial character \(\omega_1\)) that contains no topological copies of \(\omega_1\)?