The shrinking property of \(\Sigma\)-products (Q911087)

The author proves that a \(\Sigma\)-product of strong \(\Sigma\)-spaces is shrinking if and only if it is normal. This improves the earlier results of M. E. Rudin, A. LeDonne and the author. It follows that a \(\Sigma\)- product of paracompact \(\Sigma\)-spaces is collectionwise normal if and only if it is normal if and only if it is shrinking. Moreover, it is proved that every directed open cover of a \(\Sigma\)-product of paracompact M-spaces has a regular shrinking. Hence, a \(\Sigma\)-product of paracompact M-spaces has the weak \({\mathcal B}\)-property. The latter result solves a problem of \textit{K. Chiba} [Quest. Answers Gen. Topology 3, 1-9 (1985; Zbl 0577.54018)]. It is also shown that a \(\Sigma\)-product of \(\sigma\)-spaces is subshrinking, and a \(\Sigma\)-product of semi-metric spaces is subshrinking. All the results were announced by the author [Quest. Answers Gen. Topology 4, 85-96 (1986; Zbl 0626.54033)]. The paper is concluded with a discussion of the open problems in the area.