The basis problem for subspaces of monotonically normal compacta (Q890064)

The main result of this paper proves that Souslin's Hypothesis is sufficient to guarantee that each uncountable space having a zero-dimensional monotonically normal compactification contains either an uncountable discrete subspace, an uncountable subspace of the real line, or an uncountable subspace of the Sorgenfrey line. The departing point is Nikiel's conjecture [\textit{J. Nikiel}, Quest. Answers Gen. Topology 4, 117--128 (1987; Zbl 0625.54039)], proved by \textit{M. E. Rudin} in [Topology Appl. 116, No. 3, 305--331 (2001; Zbl 0988.54022)], concerning the structure of monotonically normal compacta: they are precisely the continuous images of linearly ordered compact spaces. The paper provides also finer structure results for monotonically normal compacta by using continuum theoretic techniques. It ends with some directions for future research.