\(\frac{1}{2}\)-homogeneity in symmetric products (Q946583)

A space is \(1\over m\)-homogeneous if there are exactly \(m\) orbits for the action of the group of homeomorphisms of the space onto itself. The \(n\)-fold symmetric product \(F_n(X)\) of \(X\) is the set of all non-empty subsets of \(X\) of size at most \(n\) considered as a subspace of the hyperspace \(2^{X}\) of all non-empty compact subsets of \(X\). Among the most important results, it is shown that if a 1-dimensional continuum \(X\) is an ANR, then \(F_2(X)\) is \(1\over 2\)-homogeneous if and only if \(X\) is an arc or a simple closed curve. It is also proved that if \(X\) is a 2-manifold (with or without boundary) then \(F_2(X)\) is \(1\over 2\)-homogeneous.