All Questions
1,340 questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
33
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0
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2k
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Is there a (discrete) monoid M injecting into its group completion G for which BM is not homotopy equivalent to BG?
For a (discrete) monoid $M$, the classifying space $BM$ is the
geometric realization of the nerve of the one object category whose
hom-set is $M$. (This definition gives the usual classfiying space
...
- 5,309
26
votes
0
answers
359
views
Can 4-space be partitioned into Klein bottles?
It is known that $\mathbb{R}^3$ can be partitioned into disjoint circles,
or into disjoint unit circles, or into congruent copies of a real-analytic curve
(Is it possible to partition $\mathbb R^3$ ...
- 151k
24
votes
0
answers
918
views
The topologies for which a presheaf is a sheaf?
Given a set $S$, let $Top(S)$ denote the partially ordered set (poset) of topologies on $S$, ordered by fineness, so the discrete topology, $Disc(S)$, is maximal.
Suppose that $Q$ is a presheaf on $...
- 8,659
24
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0
answers
751
views
Are amenable groups topologizable?
I've learned about the notion of topologizability from "On topologizable and non-topologizable groups" by Klyachko, Olshanskii and Osin (http://arxiv.org/abs/1210.7895) - a discrete group $G$ is ...
- 3,897
24
votes
0
answers
2k
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Subfields of $\mathbb{C}$ isomorphic to $\mathbb{R}$ that have Baire property, without Choice
While sitting through my complex analysis class, beginning with a very low level introduction, the teacher mentioned the obvious subfield of $\mathbb{C}$ isomorphic to $\mathbb{R}$, and I then ...
user5810
22
votes
0
answers
676
views
Are there "chain complexes" and "homology groups" taking values in pairs of topological spaces?
Throughout this question, notation of the form $(X,A)$ denotes a sufficiently nice pair of topological spaces. I think for most of what I'm saying here, it is enough to assume that the inclusion $A \...
- 15.5k
19
votes
0
answers
563
views
What algebraic properties are preserved by $\mathbb{N}\leadsto\beta\mathbb{N}$?
Given a binary operation $\star$ on $\mathbb{N}$, we can naturally extend $\star$ to a semicontinuous operation $\widehat{\star}$ on the set $\beta\mathbb{N}$ of ultrafilters on $\mathbb{N}$ as ...
- 20.5k
19
votes
0
answers
937
views
What is the Cantor-Bendixson rank of the space of first order theories?
Let $L$ be the language $\{R\}$ containing a single binary relation symbol. Consider the space $S_0(L)$ of complete, first-order $L$-theories. This is a seperable, compact Hausdorff space; what is its ...
- 2,146
19
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0
answers
703
views
The cofinality of $(\mathbb{N}^\kappa,\le)$ for uncountable $\kappa$?
For a partially ordered set $P$, a set $A\subseteq P$ is cofinal if for each element of $P$ there is a larger element in $A$. The cofinality of $P$, ${\rm cof}(P)$, is the minimal cardinality of a ...
- 3,104
18
votes
0
answers
323
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The analogy between dualizable categories and compact Hausdorff spaces
Efimov has in his recent preprint K-theory and localizing invariants of large categories, Appendix F, a long table of analogies between the categories $\text{Cat}^\text{dual}_\text{st}$ and $\text{...
- 2,303
18
votes
0
answers
1k
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Does there exist a continuous open map from the closed annulus to the closed disk?
(Originally from MSE, but crossposted here upon suggestion from the comments)
In this MSE post, user Moishe Kohan provides an example of a non-continuous open and closed ("clopen") function $...
- 833
18
votes
0
answers
1k
views
"Next steps" after TQFT?
(Disclaimer: I'm rather nervous that this isn't appropriate for MathOverflow, but given the contents of my question I don't really know a better place to ask something like this.)
Recently, I've been ...
- 377
18
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0
answers
1k
views
What is the strongest nerve lemma?
The most basic nerve lemma can be found as Corollary 4G.3 in Hatcher's Algebraic Topology:
If $\mathcal U$ is an open cover of a paracompact space $X$ such that every nonempty intersection of ...
- 81
18
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0
answers
370
views
Čech functions and the axiom of choice
A Čech closure function on $\omega$ is a function $\varphi:\mathcal P(\omega)\to\mathcal P(\omega)$ such that (i) $X\subseteq\varphi(X)$ for all $X\subseteq\omega$, (ii) $\varphi(\emptyset)=\emptyset$,...
- 13.4k
17
votes
0
answers
536
views
Question about combinatorics on words
Let $\{a_1,a_2,...,a_n\}$ be an alphabet and let $\{u_1,...,u_n\}$ be words in this alphabet, and $a_i\mapsto u_i$ be a substitution $\phi$.
Question: Is there an algorithm to check if for some $m,k$...
user6976
16
votes
0
answers
372
views
On projectively countable sets in the Hilbert cube
A subset $A$ of a topological space $X$ is called projectively countable if for any continuous map $f:X\to\mathbb R$ the image $f(A)$ is countable.
It is easy to see that each projectively countable ...
- 41.9k
15
votes
1
answer
601
views
Topological spaces in which countable intersections of dense open sets have dense interior
In certain topological spaces, known as Baire spaces (e.g., completely metrizable spaces), a countable intersection of dense open sets is dense.
Now consider the following strengthening of the Baire ...
- 32.5k
15
votes
0
answers
455
views
Grothendieck dessins d'enfants - current surveys or text you can recommend?
I was recommended this forum to be the leading site for algebraic geometry, so I would like to ask you a question about Grothendieck dessins d´enfants. My background is in maps on surfaces (graph ...
15
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0
answers
623
views
Is homeomorphism of simplicial complexes semidecidable?
Conventions: $\cong$ is homeomorphism of topological spaces and isomorphism of groups, $\equiv_G$ is the equality of two words over the generators of the group $G$. Simplicial complexes are finite.
...
- 6,652
15
votes
0
answers
409
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Is there a continuous map $f:\mathbb R^\omega\to\mathbb R^\omega$ with dense countable preimage $f^{-1}(\mathbb Q^\omega)$?
Let $\mathbb Q^\omega_0:=\{(x_i)_{i\in\omega}\in\mathbb Q^\omega:\exists n\in\omega\;\forall m\ge n\;\;x_m=0\}$ and observe that $\mathbb Q^\omega_0$ is a countable dense set in $\mathbb R^\omega$ (...
- 41.9k
15
votes
0
answers
259
views
Spaces locally modelled on $L^2(\mathbb R)$
In this recent question, I learned that any two separable Banach spaces are homeomorphic. Based on some readings, I'm guessing that $L^2(\mathbb R)$ is homeomorphic to $\prod_{n=1}^{\infty} (0,1)$ (...
- 43.2k
15
votes
0
answers
716
views
Is this "Homology" useful to study?
In the usual singular homology of a topological space $X$, one consider the free abelian group generated by all continuous maps from the standard simplex $\Delta^{n}$ to $X$.
Now we can ...
- 356
15
votes
0
answers
1k
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Is the category of smooth manifolds equivalent to the opposite category of the category of commutative monoids of some additive symmetric monoidal category?
This is a followup to my previous question, which asked whether
the category of commutative or noncommutative C*-algebras or von Neumann algebras
is equivalent to the category of commutative or ...
- 37.8k
15
votes
0
answers
2k
views
Covers of $Z^k$
This is a question related to covers of $Z^\infty$. Is it possible to cover $Z^k$, $k>1$, with the $l_1$-metric by a constant (not depending on $k$) number of collections of subsets $U^0,...,U^c$ ...
14
votes
0
answers
326
views
When can we extend a diffeomorphism from a surface to its neighborhood as identity?
Let $M$ be a closed and simply-connected 4-manifold and let $f: M^4 \to M^4$ be a diffeomorphism such that $f^*: H^*(M;\mathbb{Z})\to H^*(M;\mathbb{Z})$ is the identity map. Moreover, let $\Sigma \...
- 3,751
14
votes
0
answers
427
views
Which functions have all the common $\forall\exists$-properties of continuous functions?
This is an attempt at partial progress towards this question. Meanwhile, Sam Sanders pointed out that my original term was already in use, as were a couple other back-up terms, so ... oh well.
For a ...
- 20.5k
14
votes
0
answers
787
views
Covering image of a connected CW-complex need not be a CW-complex
This question is already asked here MSE, and there is an answer based on some conjecture (probably still open). I am posting the same question for a counterexample (if any, not based on such unsolved ...
- 632
14
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0
answers
343
views
Do connected algebraic stacks have a smooth cover by a connected scheme?
An algebraic stack $X$ has an induced topological space $|X|$ given by equivalence classes of fields mapping to $X$ as outlined in the stacks project. If $|X|$ is connected, does that imply there ...
- 1,094
14
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0
answers
851
views
Cardinality of the set of continuous functions
Suppose $(X,\tau)$ and $(Y,\sigma)$ are topological spaces. Let $F(X,Y)$ be the set of continuous functions $X\rightarrow Y$. I want to compute the cardinality of $F(X,Y)$. It depends not only on ...
- 12.3k
14
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0
answers
543
views
Small cardinals related to topological convergence
Recall that a topological space is called sequential if a set is closed if and only if it contains all limits of convergent sequences lying inside of it. A space $X$ is called Frechet if for every non-...
- 4,413
13
votes
0
answers
260
views
Big list of Hochster dual concepts
Let $X$ be a spectral space. Then there is a canonical space $X^\vee$ with the same points, same constructible topology, and the opposite specialization order. This is known as “Hochster duality”, and ...
13
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0
answers
364
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What is known about differentiable and analytic structures on the long line (and half-line)?
When reading about this question which recently became active for some reason, I wanted to make a comment, as a warning regarding non-metrizable manifolds, to the effect that the every $C^\infty$ ...
- 32.5k
13
votes
0
answers
818
views
Covering number estimates for Hölder balls
Let $\alpha \in (0,1]$, $r>0$ and $L>0$, and positive intwgers $n$ and $m$. The Arzela-Ascoli Theorem guarantees that the set $X(\alpha,L,r)$ of $f:[-1,1]^n\rightarrow [-r,r]^m$ with $\alpha$-...
- 5,405
13
votes
0
answers
254
views
Planar arc on a topologically embedded sphere or disk in $\mathbb{R}^3$
An arc is a set homeomorphic to the unit interval $[0,1]$; an arc in $\mathbb{R}^3$ is planar if it is contained in some plane.
The following questions are motivated by Anton Petrunin's Disc bounded ...
- 7,276
13
votes
0
answers
251
views
Is every simply connected finite complex the classifying space of a finite monoid
On page 323 of Fiedorowicz, "Classifying Spaces of Topological Monoids and Categories" it was stated that "it seems likely that any finite simply connected complex should [have the same weak homotopy ...
- 665
13
votes
0
answers
515
views
pizza lemma (topology)
given six real-analytic arcs in the unit disk $D$, each of which
connects the origin to a boundary point, and no two arcs meet anywhere except
at the origin, and the arcs meet at equal (60 degree) ...
- 1,233
13
votes
0
answers
421
views
A meager subgroup of the real line, which cannot be covered by countably many closed subsets of measure zero?
Is there a ZFC-example of a subgroup $H$ of the real line $\mathbb R$ such $H$ is meager, has zero Lebesgue measure, but cannot be covered by countably many closed subsets of measure zero in $\mathbb ...
- 41.9k
13
votes
0
answers
289
views
Why must commuting maps (of an interval) without common fixed points have at least 11 fixed points for the composition?
I've been looking at the examples of commuting functions on a closed interval which have no common fixed points. These were discovered in 1967 by William M Boyce and J Philip Huneke.
Earlier work by ...
- 553
13
votes
0
answers
577
views
Multiplicity of ball covering
Background. My questions are motivated by the following:
A. Conway and Sloane in "On the covering multiplicity of lattices" (Discrete
and Computational Geometry, 8 (1992) 109-130) considered the ...
- 31.2k
13
votes
0
answers
1k
views
Paracompact Hausdorff but not compactly generated?
I'm sorry to be asking a (possibly) elementary question, but I've run into a problem in point-set topology; I've just read that there exists paracompact Hausdoff spaces which are not compactly ...
- 15.5k
12
votes
0
answers
224
views
Do compact inverse-property loops (or just compact Moufang loops) have invariant uniformities and bi-invariant Haar measure?
So, the overall question is in the title: Does a compact topological loop with the inverse property have a Haar measure that is simultaneously left and right invariant? (And we can restrict to ...
- 2,585
12
votes
0
answers
349
views
Metric completion of an algebraically closed field is algebraically closed?
Let $F$ be a complete metric topological field. Suppose there is a subfield $F_1 \subset F$, algebraically closed and topoolgically dense in $F$. Must $F$ itself be algebraically closed?
We can ...
- 41.1k
12
votes
0
answers
321
views
Combinatorial proof of invertibility of a symmetric matrix associated to the ring of matrices over a finite field
Let $F$ be a finite field of $q$ elements with characteristic $p$. Let $M_n(F)$ be the ring of $n\times n$ matrices over $F$. We define a $q^{n^2}\times q^{n^2}$ symmetric matrix $L$ over the ...
- 38.6k
12
votes
0
answers
241
views
Is there a characterization of the class of first-order formulas that are closed in every compact Hausdorff structure?
Fix a relational language $\mathcal{L}$. (I don't think relational really matters that much but I don't want to worry about it.) A topological $\mathcal{L}$-structure is an $\mathcal{L}$-structure $M$ ...
- 12.5k
12
votes
0
answers
329
views
Topology is to semi-decidability, coarse structures are to what?
There is a folklore correspondence between topology as semi-decidability amongst computer scientists, which is explained in places like:
The monograph Synthetic Topology: of Data Types and Classical ...
- 1,221
12
votes
0
answers
251
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Counter example to lifting contractibility of a topological space
I'm looking for a simple example of an open proper continuous map between topological spaces $\varphi:X\to Y$ such that :
$Y$ is contractible and locally contractible ;
for any $y\in Y$, $\varphi^{-1}...
12
votes
0
answers
172
views
A connected Borel subgroup of the plane
It is known that the complex plane $\mathbb C$ contain dense connected (additive) subgroups with dense complement but each dense path-connected subgroup of $\mathbb C$ necessarily coincides with $\...
- 41.9k
12
votes
0
answers
373
views
Does each compact topological group admit a discontinuous homomorphism to a Polish group?
A compact topological group $G$ is called Van der Waerden if each homomorphism $h:G\to K$ to a compact topological group is continuous. By a classical result of Van der Waerden (1933) the groups $SO(...
- 41.9k
12
votes
0
answers
313
views
For a Banach space $X$, when is $X$ homeomorphic to $X \setminus A$?
$\mathbb{R}^n\not\cong\mathbb{R}^n\setminus\{0\}$ are not homeomorphic is a triviality from Algebraic Topology. On the other hand, if $X$ is an infinite dimensional Banach space, then $X \cong X\...
- 43.2k
12
votes
0
answers
386
views
L-spaces without convergent sequences
An L-space is a regular hereditarily Lindelof space which is not hereditarily separable. Consistent examples of L-spaces are relatively easy to come by (for example, Suslin Lines), but the first ...
- 4,413