Lifting covering maps (Q5939251)

Let \(p:\widetilde X\to X\) be a covering projection. The author studies the maps \(p_\natural: C(Y,\widetilde X)\to C(Y,X)\) defined by \(p_\natural(\widetilde f)=p \circ\widetilde f\), where spaces of continuous maps are endowed with the compact-open topology. The author is concerned on some conditions by which \(p_\natural\) is a covering map. In this case is said that \(Y\) lifts \(p\). If this fact is true for every \(p\) then it is said that \(Y\) lifts covering maps. The author defines that the topological \(Y\) lifts \(p\)-evenly covered open subsets whenever, provided that a base point \(*\in Y\) is suitably chosen, for every pair of open subsets \(\widetilde U\subseteq\widetilde X\) and \(U\subseteq X\) such that \(\widetilde U\) is mapped homeomorphically onto \(U\) by \(p\), the set \(C_{*, \widetilde U}(Y, \widetilde X)\) is mapped homeomorphically onto \(C_{*,U}(Y,X)\) by \(p_\natural\), where \(C_{*,U}(Y,X)= \{f\in C(Y,X): f(*)\in U\}\). The base point \(*\) is fixed for all choices of \(U\) and \(\widetilde U\). The \(C_{*,U} (Y,X)\)'s are open subsets in the compact-open topology, and if \(U\) generates an open cover of \(X\) then \(C_{*,U} (Y,X)\) generates an open cover of \(C(Y,X)\). Finally, it is said that \(Y\) lifts evenly covered open subsets if it lifts \(p\)-evenly covered open subsets for every covering map \(p\). Proposition 17. Let \(p:\widetilde X\to X\) be a covering projection. If \(Y\) lifts \(p\)-evenly covered open subsets, then it lifts \(p\). Example. If \(\mathbb{N}=\mathbb{N} \cup\{\infty\}\) is the Alexandroff compactification then \(e_\natural:C(\mathbb{N}, \mathbb{R})\to C(\mathbb{N}, \mathbb{S}^1)\) is a covering map but \(e_\natural :C(\mathbb{N}, \mathbb{R})\to C(\mathbb{N}, \mathbb{S}^1)\) has not this property. Theorem 22. Every Hausdorff contractible space lifts evenly covered open subsets and therefore lifts covering maps. Theorem 25. Let \(p: \widetilde X\to X\) be a covering projection. A compact connected CW-complex lifts \(p\) if and only if \(p_\natural:C(Y, \widetilde X)\to C(Y;X)\) is onto. Corollary 26. If \(Y\) is a compact CW-complex, then \(p_\natural\) is a covering map if and only if it is onto. Theorem 29. Let \(p:\widetilde X\to X\) be a covering projection. A graph with finitely many components lifts \(p\) if and only if \(p_\natural:C(Y, \widetilde X)\to C(Y,X)\) is onto.