A new class of spaces with all finite powers Lindelöf (Q2452003)

An \(\omega\)-cover of a set \(X\) is a cover with the following property: every finite subset of \(X\) is contained in an element of the cover. An \(\iota\)-cover is an \(\omega\)-cover with the additional property that disjoint finite sets are separated by members of the cover (meaning that if \(F, G \in [X]^{<\omega}\) are disjoint and \(\mathcal{U}\) is an \(\iota\)-cover then there is \(U \in \mathcal{U}\) such that \(F \subseteq U\) and \(G \cap U = \emptyset\)). A topological space \(X\) is called an \textit{\(\epsilon\)-space} if every finite power of \(X\) is Lindelöf; equivalently, \(X\) is an \(\epsilon\)-space if every open \(\omega\)-cover has a countable \(\omega\)-subcover. The authors remark that every space with a countable network is an \(\epsilon\)-space, and they show that every Hausdorff space with a countable network has the property that every open \(\iota\)-cover has a countable refinement that is also an \(\iota\)-cover. Motivated by this, they call a space with the latter property an \textit{\(\iota\)-space}. In the paper under review, the authors investigate a number of issues related to \(\epsilon\)-spaces and \(\iota\)-spaces. A ZFC example of a regular \(\iota\)-space with no countable network is provided. The authors show that the property of being an \(\epsilon\)-space and the property of being an \(\iota\)-space are equivalent for regular spaces with a \(G_\delta\) diagonal. A consistent example of a hereditarily \(\epsilon\)-space whose square is not hereditarily Lindelöf is constructed, as well as an absolute (meaning, ZFC) example of a non \(D\)-space that has a countable open \(\iota\)-cover. The paper ends with the following questions: is every \(\iota\)-space a \(D\)-space? Is every \textit{hereditarily} \(\iota\)-space a \(D\)-space?