The paucity of universal compacta in cohomological dimension (Q2401565)

The aim of this paper is to show that there exists no universal element for the class of metrizable compacta \(X\) with \(\dim_G X \leq n\), where \(\dim_G X\) denotes the cohomological dimension with respect to a nontrivial abelian group \(G\). Here, for any class \(\mathcal C\) of spaces, an element \(Z\in{\mathcal C}\) is universal if each element of \(\mathcal C\) embeds in \(Z\). A key fact that the author shows in this paper is that there is an equivalence between the following two conditions: {\parindent=6mm \begin{itemize}\item[1)] There exists a metrizable compactum \(Z\) that is universal for the class of metrizable compacta \(X\) with \(X\tau K\). Here, \(X\tau K\) means that \(K\) is an absolute extensor for \(X\), i.e., for each closed subset \(A\) of \(X\) and map \(f: X\to K\), there exists an extension \(F: X\to K\) of \(f\); and \item[2)] For any sequence \(T=(X_i)\) of metrizable compacta \(X_i\) with \(X_i\tau K\) for each \(i\in{\mathbb N}\), the Stone-Čech compactification has the property \(\beta(\bigsqcup\{X_i | i\in{\mathbb N}\}) \tau K\). \end{itemize}} This fact together with the result of \textit{M. Levin} [Pac. J. Math. 202, No. 2, 371--378 (2002; Zbl 1050.55001)] (there exists a space \(X=\bigsqcup\{X_i \mid i\in{\mathbb N}\}\), where \(\dim_G X_i \leq 2\) for each \(i\in{\mathbb N}\), such that \(\beta(X)\tau K\) is false for every non-contractible CW-complex \(K\)) implies that there exists no universal element for the class of metrizable compacta \(X\) with \(\dim_G X \leq n\). The main step in the proof for the key fact is to show the following statement: If \(K\) is a CW-complex and if there exists a universal element for the class of compact metrizable spaces \(Y\) with \(Y\tau K\), then there exists a Hausdorff, normal, pseudo-compact space \(X\) such that \(X\tau K\) and a \(K\)-invertible map \(\psi: X\to I^\infty\). Here, in general, for any CW-complex \(K\) and spaces \(Y\) and \(J\), a map \(\psi: Y \to I^\infty\) is \(K\)-invertible if for each compact metrizable space \(X\) with \(X\tau K\), and each map \(h: X\to K\), there exists a map \(h^\ast: X\to Y\) with \(\psi\circ h^\ast = h\). A key tool for the proof is some direct system over an uncountable directed index set, consisting of metrizable compacta and (not necessarily injective) connecting maps, that has certain properties.