A Lefschetz fixed point theorem for multivalued maps of finite spaces (Q2304329)

The authors prove a version of the Lefschetz fixed point theorem for multivalued maps \(F:X\multimap X\) in which \( X\) is a finite \(T_0\)-space. Recall that there is an isomorphism between the category of finite \(T_0\)-spaces with continuous maps and the category of finite posets with order-preserving maps. Multivalued maps between posets were previously investigated by some authors, e.g. \textit{J.W. Walker} [Discrete Math. 48, 275--288 (1984; Zbl.0546.06003)]. The maps considered there were upper semicontinuous (usc) and/or lower semicontinuous (lsc), the notion of isotone maps was used for maps which were both usc and lsc. The authors show that there is no hope to define Lefschetz numbers for multivalued maps \( F:X\multimap X\) between finite \(T_0\)-spaces which are isotone and have acyclic values if we want each continuous selector \(f:X \to X\) of \(F\) to have the same Lefschetz number as \(F\). Thus the notions of strong upper and strong lower semicontinuity are introduced. For such multivalued maps it is possible to define an induced map in homology, and then to establish the Lefschetz fixed point theorem. An appropriate notion of homotopy which preserves Lefschetz numbers is studied.