A Lefschetz-Hopf theorem for functions with compact iterates (Q2398713)

The author solves a long standing problem attributed to Schauder. In the original form this conjecture asks whether a continuous self-map \(f\) of a bounded convex set \(C\) in a Banach space with a compact iterate must have a fixed point. Here, the author proves even more: Let \(R\) be a field and \(X\) an algebraic neighbourhood \(R\)-retract and \(f:X\to X\) a continuous map with a compact iterate \(f^n\). If the Lefschetz number (with coefficients in \(R\)) \(\Lambda_R(f^n)\not=0\) then \(f\) must have a fixed point. The notion of algebraic neighbourhood retract is due to the author [Serdica Math. J. 31, No. 4, 309--354 (2005; Zbl 1164.54340)]. Since this source might not be easily accessible we provide the details: Let \(Z\) be a topological space. A subspace \(X\) of \(Z\) is said to be an algebraic neighbourhood \(R\)-retract if there is a neighbourhood \(O\) of \(X\) in \(Z\), an open cover \(\mathcal{O}\) of \(O\) and a chain map of singular chain complexes \(\mu: S(O,\mathcal{O};R)\to S(X;R)\) such that \(\mu(c)=c\) whenever \(c\in S(X;R)\cap S(O,\mathcal{O};R)\) and such that for each \(x\in X\) and neighbourhood \(V\) of \(x\) in \(X\) there is a neighbourhood \(W\) of \(x\) in \(Z\) with \(\mu(S(W;R)\cap S(O,\mathcal{O};R))\subset S(V;R)\). The idea of the proof is to assume that \(f\) has no fixed points and to find a space \(Y\), a subcomplex \(S'(Y;R)\) of \(S(Y;R)\) and a chain map \(\phi:S'(Y;R)\to S'(Y;R)\) such that \(\Lambda_R(\phi)\) is defined (using Leray traces), \(\Lambda_R(\phi)=0\) and \(\Lambda_R(\phi_*)=\Lambda_R(f)\) which would yield \(\Lambda_R(f)=0\). This is achieved by meticulous choices of coverings and retractions. The details are extremely cumbersome, and it is hard work to check the details, but in the end of the paper it is said that after submitting it Robert Cauty passed away and that H. Steinlein and T. Banakh went through the manuscript making minor corrections. So there cannot be any doubt that this famous problem has been solved by Cauty.