Asymptotic dimension of coarse spaces. (Q851554)

Asymptotic dimension was originally formulated as a large-scale analog of Lebesgue covering dimension. As such, its definition required the space to be metric in order to make sense of the notion of large-scale phenomena. What was important about these metric spaces was their so-called coarse structure. Later, \textit{J. Roe}, [Lectures on coarse geometry. University Lecture Series 31. Providence, RI: AMS (2003; Zbl 1042.53027)], gave an axiomatic description of the coarse category that does not rely on a metric. Using this he was able to define the asymptotic dimension of a (not necessarily metric) coarse space in a way similar in spirit to the topological definition of covering dimension. In the article under review, the author characterizes asymptotic dimension of coarse spaces in two new ways; the author then shows that the two notions agree for coarse spaces and are both equivalent to Roe's original definition of asymptotic dimension for coarse spaces. Using these characterizations the author proves a finite union theorem, a disjoint union theorem, and a product theorem for the asymptotic dimension -- some of the basic tools one needs in a dimension theory. These are all natural generalizations of the analogous results in the large-scale metric setting. The author also provides many nice examples.