Diagonals of the square of a continuum (Q7018048)

The authors study how diagonal subcontinua behave in their ambient powers. If \(X\) is a metrizable continuum, \(2\leq n<\infty\), the \textit{\(n\)-fold diagonal} \(\Delta_n=\Delta_n(X)\) is the set of \(n\)-tuples in \(X^n\) such that all coordinates are equal; how \(\Delta_n\) \textit{behaves} in \(X^n\) is indicated by whether it satisfies any of properties 1\(-\)6 below. These are listed in order of decreasing strength.\N\NDefinition. Let \(A\) be a subcontinuum of \(X\) having empty interior in \(X\). \(A\) is:\N\begin{itemize}\N\item[1.] a continuum of \textit{colocal connectedness} in \(X\) if arbitrarily small open neighborhoods of \(A\) in \(X\) have connected complement;\N\item[2.] not a \textit{weak cut} continuum in \(X\) if \(X\setminus A\) is continuum-wise connected;\N\item[3.] a \textit{non-block} continuum in \(X\) if \(X\setminus A\) has a dense continuum component;\N\item[4.] a \textit{shore} continuum in \(X\) if for each finite open cover of \(X\) there is a subcontinuum of \(X\setminus A\) that intersects every set in the cover;\N\item[5.] not a \textit{strong center} in \(X\) if for any two nonempty open subsets of \(X\), there is a subcontinuum of \(X\setminus A\) that intersects both of them; and\N\item[6.] a \textit{non-cut} continuum in \(X\) if \(X\setminus A\) is connected.\N\end{itemize}\N\NEarly in the paper (Theorem 4), the authors prove that when \(n\geq 3\), \(\Delta_n\) is colocally connected in \(X^n\). Hence the paper's focus becomes the question of finding the least \(i\in\{1,2,3,4,5,6\}\) such that \(\Delta_2\) exhibits behavior \(i\) in \(X^2\). They define a continuum to be \textit{at level \(i\)} if its \(2\)-fold diagonal exhibits behavior \(i\); it is \textit{exactly} at level \(i>1\) if, in addition, it is not at level \(i-1\).\N\NThe results of the present paper build upon a theorem of \textit{H. Katsuura} [Topol. Proc. 63, 1--4 (2024; Zbl 1523.54034)] that says a nondegenerate continuum is at level 6 if and only if it is not an arc. Here is a sampling.\N\N\begin{itemize}\N\item[i.] Every locally connected continuum is at level \(1\).\N\item[ii.] If a nondegenerate continuum is at level 1, then it has nonzero surjective span. (The converse fails.)\N\item[iii.] If a nondegenerate arcwise connected continuum either (a) contains a simple triod, or (b) contains no simple triod but is neither an arc nor a simple closed curve, then it is at level \(2\).\N\item[iv.] A continuum is exactly at level 2 if it is arcwise connected and circle-like, but is not a simple closed curve.\N\item[v.] Every smooth dendroid other than an arc is at level \(1\).\N\item[vi.] No arc-like continuum is at level \(2\).\N\item[vii.] Every indecomposable continuum is at level 3; if it is arc-like, then it is exactly at level 3.\N\item[viii.] There exists a nondegenerate indecomposable continuum that is at level 1.\N\end{itemize}