Extension theory for maps of compact spaces (Q4256783)

This paper deals with the branch of topology which is referred to as extension theory. Given a closed subspace \(A\) of a space \(X\) and a map \(f\) of \(A\) to another space \(K\), is there a map \(F:X\rightarrow K\) which is an extension of \(f\)? When this property holds for all closed subspaces \(A\) of \(X\) and all maps \(f:A\rightarrow K\), one may write, \(X\tau K\) (or \(K\in\)AE\((X)\), or even \(e\)-dim\(X\leq K\)). Usually in this theory, \(K\) is a CW-complex and \(X\) comes from some particular class \(\mathcal C\) of spaces. For this paper, \(\mathcal C\) is the class of all compact Hausdorff spaces. A good place to get started with the basics of extension theory might be the work [Proc. Steklov Inst. Math. 212, 55-88 (1996); translation from Tr. Mat. Inst. Steklova 212, 61-94 (1996; Zbl 0874.54033)] by \textit{A. Dranishnikov} and \textit{J. Dydak}. The concept of extension theory has proved to be quite effective, for example, in dealing with the mapping intersection problem [the author, Pac. J. Math. 173, No. 2, 403-412 (1996; Zbl 0868.55001)]. It also has been useful as a tool for unifying various dimension theories and as a platform upon which to base theory which is more general even than those. In section 2, the author gives a proof of what he refers to as the ``Rubin-Schapiro'' factorization theorem. An expanded version of the latter can be found in [\textit{M. Levin, L. Rubin} and \textit{P. Schapiro}, The Mardešić factorization theorem for extension theory and C-separation, Proc. Am. Math. Soc. (to appear)]. He then proves a dual to that theorem. These are Theorems 9 and 10 of the current paper, and we state them respectively as follows. Theorem. Assume that \(M\) is a CW-complex, \(X\) is a compact Hausdorff space, and \(e\)-dim\(X\leq M\). Then for any map \(f:X\rightarrow Y\), with \(Y\) compact and metrizable, there is a metrizable compactum \(Z\) with \(e\)-dim\(Z\leq M\) and a factorization \(f=q\circ g\), where \(g:X\rightarrow Z\) and \(q:Z\rightarrow Y\) are maps. Theorem. Assume that \(M\) is a CW-complex, \(X\) is a compact Hausdorff space, and \(e\text{-dim }X\leq M\). Then for any countable subcomplex \(L\subset M\) there is a countable subcomplex \(K\subset M\) with \(e\)-dim\(X\leq K\). The main result of the paper is called the wedge theorem. It goes this way. Theorem. Every CW-complex \(K\) is extensionally equivalent to a wedge of countable complexes, \(\underset{\alpha\in A}\bigvee L_\alpha\), with the cardinality of \(A\) at most that of the continuum. (When one says that CW-complexes \(K\), \(L\) are extensionally equivalent, the following is understood: For all compact Hausdorff spaces \(X\), \(e\)-dim\(X\leq K\) if and only if \(e\text{-dim }X\leq L\)).