Kelley continua and the hyperspace \({\lambda}(X)\) (Q2324563)

Given a metric continuum \(X\), the hyperspace of subcontinua is denoted by \(C(X)\), endowed with the Hausdorff metric \(H\). The continuum \(X\) is a Kelley continuum if for each \(\epsilon>0\) there exists \(\delta >0\) such that if \(d(x,y)<\delta\) and \(x\in A\in C(X)\), then there exists \(B\in C(X)\) such that \(y\in B\) and \(H(A,B)<\epsilon\). The continuum \(X\) is atriodic if for every \(A,B\in C(X)\) with \(A\subsetneq B\), we have that \(B\setminus A\) contains at most two components. A Whitney map for \(C(X)\) is a continuous function \(\mu:C(X)\rightarrow [0,1]\) satisfying: (a) \(\mu(\{p\})=0\) for every \(p\in X\); (b) if \(A,B\in C(X)\) and \(A\subsetneq B\), then \(\mu(A)<\mu(B)\); and (c) \(\mu(X)=1\). The following function \(G\) was defined by \textit{J. L. Kelley} in [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 52, 22--36 (1942; Zbl 0061.40107)] to study the contractibility of the hyperspace \(C(X)\). \(G:X\times [0,1]\) is given by \(G(x,t)=\bigcup \{K\in \mu^{-1}(t):x\in K\}\). Kelley proved that if \(X\) is a Kelley continuum, then \(G\) is continuous. In the paper under review, the author considers the function \(\Gamma:X\rightarrow C(C(X))\) given by \(\Gamma(x)=\{G(x,t):t\in [0,1]\}\). The following results are proved in this paper: (1) for each continuum \(X\) the following are equivalent: (a) the function \(\Gamma\) is continuous, (b) \(X\) is homeomorphic to \(\Gamma (X)\), and (c) \(\Gamma(X)\) is a continuum. (2) if \(X\) is a Kelley continuum, then the function \(\Gamma\) is continuous. (3) if \(X\) is an atriodic Kelley continuum, then \(G\) is a continuous surjection. The paper ends with the following question. Is \(G\) being a continuous surjection equivalent to \(X\) being an atriodic Kelley continuum?