On topological shape homotopy groups (Q896816)

The main aim of the present paper is to define and investigate shape type homotopy groups. Using the topological structure on the set of shape morphisms between topological spaces, defined by \textit{E. Cuchillo-Ibáñez, M. A. Morón, F. R. Ruiz del Portal} and \textit{J. M. R. Sanjurjo} [Topology Appl. 94, No.1--3, 51--60 (1999; Zbl 0939.54007)], the authors discuss a topology on the shape homotopy groups \(\check{\pi}_k(X,x)\) and construct topological shape groups \(\check{\pi}^{\text{top}}_k(X,x)\). These groups induce the functors \(\check{\pi}^{\text{top}}_k(-)\), \(k\in \mathbb{N}\) from the pointed shape category to the category of Hausdorff topological groups. These functors have the following property. If \(X\) and \(Y\) are shape path connected spaces with \(\text{HPol}\)-expansions \({\mathbf p}:X\to \mathbf{X}\) and \({\mathbf q}:Y\to {\mathbf Y}\) such that \({\mathbf p}\times {\mathbf q}:X \times Y\to {\mathbf X}\times {\mathbf Y}\) is an \(\text{HPol}\)-expansion, then there exists an isomorphism \(\check{\pi}^{\text{top}}_k(X\times Y)\approx \check{\pi}^{\text{top}}_k(X)\times \check{\pi}^{\text{top}}_k(Y)\) for all \(k\in \mathbb{N}\). The authors also study quasitopological shape homotopy groups and establish some characterizations of topological shape groups.