Continua for which connected partitions are compact (Q864444)

For a metric space \(X\), \(2^{X}\) denotes the space of compact subsets of \(X\) with the Hausdorff metric. A partition \(\mathcal S\) of \(X\) into compact subsets is considered to be a subspace of \(2^{X}\). The author investigates for which continua (that is, compact, connected metric spaces) every connected partition into compact subsets is compact. The main positive results are as follows: (1) If \(X\) is a dendrite and \(\mathcal S\) is a connected partition of \(X\) into compacta, then \(\mathcal S\) is homeomorphic to a subcontinuum of \(X\); (2) If a continuum \(X\) contains a non-degenerate, nowhere dense, non-separating subcontinuum, then there is a connected partition of \(X\) into compacta which is not compact, and (3) If \(X\) is a graph, then every connected partition into compacta is compact if and only if \(X\) is a tree or a simple closed curve. Two examples are given; the first is a locally connected continuum \(X\), which is neither a dendrite nor a simple closed curve, with the property that if \(\mathcal S\) is a connected partition of \(X\) into compacta, then \(\mathcal S\) is compact. The second example is that of a non-locally connected continuum \(X\) with the property that the only connected partitions of \(X\) into compacta are \(\{X\}\) and \(\{\{x\}:x\in X\}\).