The \(k_R\)-property in free topological groups (Q2406389)

Let \(F(X)\) be the free topological group on a Tychonoff space \(X\) and \(F_n(X)\) be the subspace of \(F(X)\) that consists of all the words of reduced length at most \(n\) with respect to the free basis \(X\) for every \(n\in{\mathbb N}\). \textit{A. V. Arkhangel'skij} et al. [Topology Appl. 33, No. 1, 63--76 (1989; Zbl 0689.54009)] obtained the following criterion for a metrizable space \(X\): \(F(X)\) is a \(k\)-space iff \(X\) is locally compact separable or discrete. Furthermore, the reviewer [ibid. 146--147, 239--251 (2005; Zbl 1068.54041)] found equivalent conditions on a metrizable space \(X\) for each \(F_n(X)\) to be a \(k\)-space. Indeed, the following characterizations are known: Let \(X\) be a metrizable space. (1) The following are equivalent: (i) \(F(X)\) is a \(k\)-space; (ii) \(F_n(X)\) is a \(k\)-space for each \(n\geq 8\); (iii) \(X\) is locally compact separable or discrete, (2) \(F_3(X)\) is a \(k\)-space if and only if \(X\) is locally compact or the subspace of \(X\) consisting of all non-isolated points of \(X\) is compact, and (3) \(F_n(X)\) is a \(k\)-space for \(n=1,2\). In this paper, the authors investigate the \(k_R\)-property in free topological groups. Recall that a space \(X\) is a \textit{\(k_R\)-space} if \(X\) is Tychonoff and the necessary and sufficient condition for a real-valued function \(f\) on \(X\) to be continuous is that the restriction of \(f\) to each compact subset is continuous. It is well known that every \(k\)-space is a \(k_R\)-space. The authors add the \(k_R\)-property of \(F_n(X)\) on the lists of equivalences in the above results (1) and (2) by showing that (a) for a stratifiable \(k\)-space \(X\), if \(F_8(X)\) is a \(k_R\)-space, then \(X\) is separable or discrete; (b) for a metrizable space \(X\), if \(F_8(X)\) is a \(k_R\)-space, then \(X\) is locally compact; and (c) for a metrizable space \(X\), if \(F_3(X)\) is a \(k_R\)-space, then \(X\) is locally compact or the subspace of \(X\) consisting of all non-isolated points of \(X\) is compact. On the other hand, no equivalent conditions on a metrizable space \(X\) for \(F_n(X)\), \(n\in\{4,5,6,7\}\), to be a \(k\)-space and also a \(k_R\)-space are found.