An alternate description of the Szlenk index with applications (Q281493)

In this valuable paper, the author gives the reader a most interesting insight into the Szlenk index. The author writes: ``This work advances previous results in three ways: Given a Banach space \(X\), with a description analogous to that appearing in [\textit{D. Alspach} et al., Positivity 9, No. 1, 1--44 (2005; Zbl 1099.46008)] used to compute the Szlenk index of \(B(X^\ast)\), we have been able to compute the Szlenk index of any \(w^\ast\) compact subset of \(X^\ast\), while being able to do so without the assumptions of separability of \(X\) or that \(\ell_1\) does not embed into \(X\).'' If \(\Lambda\) is a set, \(\Lambda^{<\mathbb{N}}\) denotes the finite sequences in \(\Lambda\) and \(2^\Lambda\) denotes the power set of \(\Lambda\). If \(s,t\in\Lambda^{<\mathbb{N}}\), we let \(s\)-\(t\) denote the concatenation of \(s\) with \(t\) listing the members of \(s\) first. If \(T\) is a tree on \(\Lambda\), then we let \(T'\) consist of all members of \(T\) which are not maximal in \(T\). If there exists an ordinal \(\xi\) so that \(T^\xi=\emptyset\), we let \(o(T)\) be the minimum of such ordinals, and call \(o(T)\) the order of \(T\). Given a subset \(H\subset\Lambda^{<\mathbb{N}}\) and \(\emptyset\neq D\subset 2^\Lambda\), we let \((H)'_D=\{t\in H:(\forall U\in D)\, (\exists x\in U)\, t-x\in H\}\). We define \((H)^\xi_ D\) for \(\xi\in\mathrm{Ord}\) by transfinite induction. We let \((H)^0_D=H\), \((H)^{\xi+1}_D=((H)^\xi_ D)'_D\), and if \(\xi\) is a limit ordinal and \((H)^\zeta _D\) is defined for each \(\zeta<\xi\), we let \((H)^\xi_ D=\bigcap_{\zeta<\xi}(H)^\zeta_ D\). If there exists an ordinal \(\xi\) so that \((H)^\xi_D=\emptyset\), we let \(o_D(H)\) be the minimum os such ordinals. If \(X\) is a Banach space and \(D\) is a weak neighborhood basis at zero, we write \((H)'_w\) \((H)^\xi _w\), and \(o_w(H)\) in place of \((H)'_D\), \((H)^\xi _D\), and \(o_D(H)\). The main result is: Theorem 2.2. Suppose that \(K\subset X^*\) is \(w^*\) compact and non-empty. For any \(\xi\in\mathrm{Ord}\), the following are equivalent: (i) There exists \(\varepsilon>0\) so that \(\mathrm{Sz}_\varepsilon(K)>\xi\). (ii) There exists \(\varepsilon>0\) so that \(o_w(H^K_\varepsilon)>\xi\). (iii) There exist \(0<\delta<\varepsilon\) so that \(o_{(K,\delta)}(H^K_\varepsilon)>\xi\). In particular, for any \(w^*\) compact, non-empty subset \(K\) of \(X^*\), \[ \mathrm{Sz}(K)=\sup_{\varepsilon>0} o_w(H^K_\varepsilon)=\sup_{\varepsilon>\delta>0} o_{(K,\delta)}(H^K_\varepsilon). \] Here, \(H^K_\varepsilon=\{t\in B(X)^{<\mathbb{N}}:(\exists x^*\in K)\) \((\forall x\in t)\) \(x^*(x)\geq\varepsilon\}\) and \((K,\delta)=\{\{x\in X:(\forall x^*\in F)\) \(|x^*(x)|<\delta\}:F\subset K\) is finite\(\}\) and \(\mathrm{Sz}_\varepsilon(K)\), \(\mathrm{Sz}(K)\) are the slicing Szlenk indices. Many applications of the main theorem are given. The author gives simpler proofs of results existing in the literature and also provides new results (estimates for Minkowski sums, the Szlenk index of an operator, the Szlenk index of quotients, a relation to Bourgain's \(\ell_1\) index).