Hartman-Mycielski functor of non-metrizable compacta (Q949466)

The general theory of functors acting on the category \(\text{Comp}\) of compact Hausdorff spaces and continuous mappings was started by \textit{E. V. Shchepin} [Usp. Mat. Nauk 36, No.~3(219), 3--62 (1981; Zbl 0463.54009)]. Shchepin described some elementary properties of these functors which have become very fruitful. The class of all normal and weakly normal functors include many classical constructions: the hyperspace {exp}, the space of probability measures \(P\), the superextension \(\lambda\), the space of hyperspaces of inclusion \(G\), and many other functors. Let \(X\) be any space and \(d\) any admissible metric on \(X\) bounded by 1. By \(HM(X)\) is denoted the space of all maps from \([0,1)\) to the space \(X\) such that \(f|[t_i,t_{i+1}]\equiv\) const, for some \(0=t_0\leq t_1\leq\dots\leq t_n=1\), with respect to the following metric: \(d_HM(f,g)=\int_0^1 d(f(t),g(t))dt,f,g\in HM(X)\). The construction of \(HM(X)\) is known as the Hartman-Mycielski construction [cf. \textit{S. Hartman} and \textit{J. Mycielski}, Colloq. Math. 5, 167--169 (1958; Zbl 0086.02601)]. For every \(Z \in \text{Comp}\) one considers \(HM_n(Z)=\{f\in HM(Z)\mid\text{ there exist } 0=t_1<\dots t_{n+1}=1\text{ with }f|[t_i,t_{i+1})\equiv z_i\in Z, i=1,\dots,n\}\). Let \(\mathcal{U}\) be the unique uniformity of \(Z\). For every \(U\in \mathcal{U}\) and \(\varepsilon >0\), one puts \(\langle \alpha,U,\varepsilon\rangle=\{\beta\in HM_n(Z)\mid m\{t\in [0,1)\mid(\alpha(t),\beta(t')))\overline{\varepsilon} U\}<\varepsilon\}\). The sets \(\langle \alpha, U,\varepsilon\rangle\) form a base of a compact Hausdorff topology in \(HM_n(Z) \). Given a map \(f:X\rightarrow Y\) in {Comp}, one defines a map \(HM_n (X)\rightarrow HM_n(Y)\) by the formula \(HM_nF(\alpha)=f\circ \alpha\). Then \(HM_n\) is a normal functor in {Comp} [cf. \textit{A. Teleiko} and \textit{M. Zarichnyi}, Categorical Topology of Compact Hausdorff Spaces. Mathematical Studies Monograph Series. 5. Lviv: VNTL Publishers (1999; Zbl 1032.54004)]. For \(X \in \text{Comp}\) one considers the space \(HMX\) with the described topology. In general, \(HMX\) is not compact. Zarichnyi asked if there exists a normal functor in {Comp } which contains all functors \(HM_n\) as subfunctors. Such a functor was constructed by the first author [Mat. Stud. 19, No.~2, 201--207 (2003; Zbl 1023.54017)]. It was shown by the authors of the present paper in [Proc. Indian Acad. Sci., Math. Sci. 115, No. 4, 477--482 (2005; Zbl 1118.54015)] that \(HX\) is homeomorphic to the Hilbert cube for each non-degenerate metrizable compactum \(X\). In this paper the authors investigate some topological properties of the space \(HX\) for non-metrizable compacta \(X\). The main results of the paper are as follows: Theorem 1.1. \(Hf\) is open if and only if \(f\) is an open map. Theorem 1.2. \(HX\) is an absolute retract if and only if \(X\) is an openly generated compactum of weight \(\leq \omega_1\). Theorem 1.3. \(HX\) is homeomorphic to the Tychonov cube if and only if \(X\) is an openly generated \(\chi\)-homogeneous compactum of weight \(\omega_1\).