Undecidability for the extent of products of a monotonically normal space and a special factor (Q2673855)

In this extensive, thorough paper the authors answer the following question asked in [\textit{Y. Hirata} and \textit{Y. Yajima}, Topol. Proc. 59, 223--241 (2022; Zbl 1479.54020)]: \textbf{Question} Let \(X\) be a monotonically normal space and \(Y\) an almost discrete space. If \(X\times Y\) is normal, is it true that \(e(X\times Y)=e(X)\cdot e(Y)\)? The question is answered by establishing its undecidability in the case \(e(X)\cdot e(Y)=\omega\). This is achieved through the following main theorem: \textbf{Theorem} Let \(\lambda\) be a regular cardinal. Then the following are equivalent. \begin{itemize} \item[(a)] There are a monotonically normal space \(X\) and an almost discrete space \(Y\) such that \(X\times Y\) is normal, both \(X\) and \(Y\) are \(\lambda\)-extensive, but \(X\times Y\) is not \(\lambda\)-extensive. \item[(b)] There are an almost discrete space \(Y_i=\mathbb{D}_\lambda\cup\{q_i\}\) which is \(\lambda\)-extensive and \(\lambda\)-tight, for each \(i\in 2\), and a sequence \(\{B_{i,2}:\alpha<\lambda\}\) of neighborhoods of \(q_i\) in \(Y_i\) such that \(\alpha\cap B_{0,\alpha}\cap B_{1,\alpha}=\emptyset\) for each \(\alpha<\lambda\). \item[(c)] \(\lambda\longrightarrow (\lambda;fin\lambda)^2_2\) fails. \end{itemize} As the sentence ``\(\omega_1\longrightarrow (\omega_1;fin\omega_1)^2_2\)'' is consistent with and independent of ZFC [\textit{S. Todorčević}, Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 280, 703--720 (1983; Zbl 0532.03023)], as a corollary it follows that \textbf{Corollary} If ZFC is consistent, then it is consistent with and independent of ZFC that there are a monotonically normal space \(X\) and an almost discrete space \(Y\) such that \(X\times Y\) is normal and \(e(X)\cdot e(Y)=\omega<e(X\times Y)\). The main theorem is proved in stages throughout the paper and various partial answers to the above question are given in ZFC. The following question is still open, although \textit{S. Shelah} [Contemp. Math. 192, 91--101 (1996; Zbl 0847.54004)] proved that the answer is consistently affirmative. \textbf{Question} Are there two Lindelöf spaces \(X\) and \(Y\) such that \(e(X\times Y)>2^\omega\)?