Stable compactifications of polyhedra (Q5954529)

A \(Z\)-compactification of a space \(X\) is a compact metric space \(\widetilde X\) containing \(X\) for which there is a homotopy \(h_t:X\to X\) (\( 0\leq t\leq 1\)) such that \(h_0\) is the identity and \(h_t(\widetilde X)\subseteq X\) for all \(t > 0\). The author proves a destabilization result for \(Z\)-compactifications: if \(X\) is a locally finite \(n\)-dimensional polyhedron whose product with the Hilbert cube has a \(Z\)-compactification, then \(X\times I^{2n+5}\) also has a \(Z\)-compactification, answering affirmatively a question of \textit{C. R. Guilbault} [Fundam. Math. 168, No. 2, 165-197 (2001; Zbl 0988.57012), see above]. Guilbault had given an example of a locally finite \(2\)-dimensional polyhedron \(X\) that does not have a \(Z\)-compactification, but the product of \(X\) with the Hilbert cube does have a \(Z\)-compactification (this answered a question of \textit{T. A. Chapman} and \textit{L. C. Siebenmann} [Acta Math. 137, No. 3-4, 171-208 (1976; Zbl 0361.57008)]). There are three main ingredients in the author's proof. First, it is shown how to represent \(X\) up to simple-homotopy equivalence as the inverse mapping telescope of finite \(n\)-dimensional polyhedra. Second, it is proved that \(Z\)-compactifiability is invariant under cell-like equivalence. Thirdly, the author proves that if a locally finite \(n\)-dimensional polyhedron \(P\) (\(n\geq 3\)) collapses to a locally finite subpolyhedron \(Q\), t hen \(Q\times I^{2n+1}\) collapses to \(P\) (estimates are also provided), an improvement of a result of \textit{P. Dierker} [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 19, 425-428 (1968; Zbl 0159.25302)].