Bihomogeneity of solenoids (Q5952484)

A space \(X\) is bihomogeneous if for each pair of points \(x,y\in X\) there is a homeomorphism \(f\colon X\to X\) such that \(f(x)=y\) and \(f(y)=x\). Knaster and Van Dantzig asked whether every homogeneous continuum is bihomogeneous. This was settled in the negative by \textit{K. Kuperberg} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 321, No. 1, 129-143 (1990; Zbl 0707.54025)]. A solenoid \(M_\infty\) is the inverse limit of a sequence of closed connected manifolds with bonding maps that are covering maps. In this interesting paper, the authors show that \(M_\infty\) is algebraically bihomogeneous if and only if \(\pi_1(M_j)/K_\infty\) is abelian for sufficiently large \(j\). Here \(K_\infty\) is the kernel of \(\pi_1(M_0)\). As an application of this result, they prove that a two-dimensional solenoid \(S_\infty\) with kernel \(K_\infty \subset \pi_1(S_0)\) is (topologically) bihomogeneous if and only if \(\pi_1(S_i)/K_\infty\) is abelian for sufficiently large index \(i\). This leads to new examples of homogeneous continua that are not bihomogeneous.