On the fundamental group of inverse limits (Q523240)

A set valued function \(f:X\longrightarrow 2^{Y}\) into the nonempty closed subsets of \(Y\) is upper semi-continuous (usc) if for each \(x \in X\) and each open set \(V \subset Y\) containing the set \(f (x)\), there exists an open set \(U\subset X\) such that \(x \in U\) and \(\bigcup_{u\in U} f (u) \subset V\). In the present paper the authors consider inverse limits \(\displaystyle{\lim_{\longleftarrow} f}\), obtained by usc set valued functions \(f:X\longrightarrow 2^{X}\) and then investigate the fundamental group of these inverse limits. They provide well chosen examples of bonding functions which demonstrate the behavior of loops in the inverse limit. The examples realize groups which are most likely to appear as the fundamental groups of one-dimensional spaces: free groups and the fundamental group of the Hawaiian Earring. The left shift is an obvious construction, obtained by removing the first coordinate in the inverse limit. More precisely, the left shift map \(S : X^{\infty}\longrightarrow X^{\infty}\) defined by \(S(x_1, x_2, x_3, \ldots) = (x_2, x_3, \ldots)\) induces the map \(S :\displaystyle{\lim_{\longleftarrow} f}\longrightarrow \displaystyle{\lim_{\longleftarrow} f}\). In the present paper, the authors define right shifts of loops \(T:\displaystyle{\lim_{\longleftarrow} f}\longrightarrow \displaystyle{\lim_{\longleftarrow} f}\), for some inverse limits. Using the shift constructions they prove that the fundamental group of an inverse limit is often trivial or uncountable. Finally, for every set \(S\) of cardinality \(|S|\leq \aleph_1\), they construct a surjective \(f:I\longrightarrow 2^{I}\) , such that \(\displaystyle{\lim_{\longleftarrow} f}\) is path connected and its fundamental group is the free group on the set \(S\).