How many miles to \(\beta \omega\)? -- Approximating \(\beta \omega\) by metric-dependent compactifications (Q1764678)

Let \(\mathcal K(X)\) denote the class of compactifications of~\(X\). When we identify equivalent compactifications, \(\mathcal K(X)\) can be regarded as a~set which is a~complete upper semilattice under the ordering defined by \(\alpha X\leq\gamma X\) if there is a~continuous surjection \(f:\gamma X\to\alpha X\) such that the restriction \(f\restriction X\) is the identity map on~\(X\). Let \(C^*(X)\) denote the ring of all bounded continuous functions from \(X\) to~\(\mathbb R\) with the uniform norm topology. A~subring \(R\subseteq C^*(X)\) is called regular if \(R\) is closed, contains all constant functions, and generates the topology of~\(X\). Let \(\mathcal R(X)\) denote the class of all regular subrings of~\(C^*(X)\). It is known that \(\mathcal K(X)\) is isomorphic to~\(\mathcal R(X)\). For a~metric space \((X,d)\), the set \(U^*_d(X)\) of all bounded uniformly continuous functions from \((X,d)\) to~\(\mathbb R\) is a~regular subring of~\(C^*(X)\) and the Smirnov compactification~\(u_dX\) is associated with this ring. It is known [\textit{R.~G. Woods}, ``The minimum uniform compactification of a~metric space'', Fund. Math.~ 147, 39--59 (1995; Zbl 0837.54015)] that \(\beta X=\sup\{u_dX:d\in M(X)\}\), where \(M(X)\) denotes the set of all metrics on~\(X\) compatible with the topology on~\(X\). Let \(\mathfrak{sa}(X)\) be the smallest cardinality of a~set \(D\subseteq M(X)\) such that \(\beta X=\sup\{u_dX:d\in D\}\). In particular, the authors prove that \(\mathfrak{sa}([0,\infty))\) is equal to the minimal size~\(\mathfrak d\) of a~dominating family of functions on~\(\omega\). As \(\mathfrak{sa}(X)=1\) for any discrete space~\(X\), in order to approximate~\(\beta\omega\) in a~nontrivial way, the authors let \(M'(X)\) be the set of all metrics \(d\in M(X)\) for which \(\beta X\not\simeq u_dX\). They study subsets \(D\subseteq M'(\omega)\) which approximate~\(\beta\omega\) and have certain combinatorial properties and they estimate cardinal numbers associated to them. They solve also the same questions for Higson compactifications.