Sums and products of \(B_ r\) spaces (Q801553)

A Hausdorff topological space E is called a \(B_ r\) space if every continuous, nearly open bijection f from E onto an arbitrary Hausdorff space F is open. We deal with products and sums of \(B_ r\) spaces. We provide an example of two \(B_ r\) spaces E and F whose product \(E\times F\) and sum \(E\oplus F\) both are no longer \(B_ r\). The counterexample is based on a class of spaces introduced by \textit{W. G. Fleissner} and \textit{K. Kunen} in Fundam. Math. 101, 229-240 (1978; Zbl 0413.54036)]. On the other hand, we prove that given a \(B_ r\) space E the sum \(E\oplus E\) is a \(B_ r\) space as well. Since Čech complete spaces are known to be \(B_ r\) spaces we ask for necessary and sufficient conditions on a \(B_ r\) space E in order that for every Čech complete space F the sum \(E\oplus F\) be a \(B_ r\) space. It turns out that for completely regular E such a necessary and sufficient condition is that E has to be a Baire space. Addendum: In the meantime we have been able to answer in the negative the question left open in the present paper whether every completely regular \(B_ r\) space must be a Baire space.