Metrizable-like locally convex topologies on \(C(X)\) (Q2405063)

For a Tychonoff space \(X\) let \(C(X)\) denote the set of all real-valued continuous functions on \(X\), and let \(\tau_p\), \(\tau_k\), \(\tau_b\) denote the pointwise topology, the compact topology, and the bounded-open topology on \(C(X)\), respectively. Moreover, let \(\tau_w\) denote the weak topology of the locally convex space \((C(X),\tau_k)\). In the paper under review the authors characterize those spaces \(X\) for which \(C(X)\) admits a locally convex topology \(\tau\) between \(\tau_p\) and \(\tau_b\) such that the space \((C(X),\tau)\) is either metrizable or is an \((LM)\)-space or even has a \(\mathfrak{G}\)-base. Recall that a locally convex space \(E\) has a \(\mathfrak{G}\)-base if it admits a base \(\{ U_\alpha:\alpha\in \omega^\omega\}\) of neighborhoods at zero such that \(U_\alpha\subset U_\beta\) whenever \(\beta\leq \alpha\) for all \(\alpha,\beta\in\omega^\omega\). Main results: (1) There exists a metrizable locally convex topology \(\tau\) on \(C(X)\) such that \(\tau_p\leq \tau\leq\tau_k\) iff \(X\) is a \(\sigma\)-compact space. (2) There exists a metrizable locally convex topology \(\tau\) on \(C(X)\) such that \(\tau_k\leq \tau\leq\tau_b\) iff there is an increasing sequence \(\{ B_n\}_n\) of functionally bounded subsets of \(X\) swallowing the compact sets of \(X\) (i.e., every compact set of \(X\) is covered by some functionally bounded set). (3) There exists a metrizable locally convex topology \(\tau\) on \(C(X)\) such that \(\tau_p\leq \tau\leq\tau_b\) iff there is an increasing sequence \(\{ B_n\}_n\) of functionally bounded subsets of \(X\) covering \(X\). (4) There exists a metrizable locally convex topology \(\tau\) on \(C(X)\) such that \(\tau_p\leq \tau\leq\tau_w\) iff \(X\) is countable. (5) There exists a locally convex topology \(\tau\) on \(C(X)\) with a \(\mathfrak{G}\)-base such that \(\tau_p\leq \tau\leq\tau_k\) iff \(X\) has a compact resolution (i.e., there exists an \(\omega^\omega\)-increasing family of compact subsets of \(X\) which covers \(X\)). (6) There exists a locally convex topology \(\tau\) on \(C(X)\) with a \(\mathfrak{G}\)-base such that \(\tau_k\leq \tau\leq\tau_b\) iff \(X\) has a functionally bounded resolution swallowing the compact sets of \(X\). (7) \(C(X)\) admits a locally convex topology \(\tau\) with a \(\mathfrak{G}\)-base such that \(\tau_p\leq \tau\leq\tau_b\) iff \(X\) has a functionally bounded resolution. (8) There exists a locally convex topology \(\tau\) on \(C(X)\) with a \(\mathfrak{G}\)-base such that \(\tau_p\leq \tau\leq\tau_w\) iff \(X\) is countable, see [\textit{V. V. Tkachuk}, Acta Math. Hung. 107, No. 4, 253--265 (2005; Zbl 1081.54012), \textit{B. Cascales} et al., Topology Appl. 158, No. 2, 204--214 (2011; Zbl 1213.54033)].