All Questions
Tagged with gn.general-topology reference-request
325 questions
40
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Can the nth projective space be covered by n charts?
That is, is there an open cover of $\mathbb{R}P^n$ by $n$ sets homeomorphic to $\mathbb{R}^n$?
I came up with this question a few years ago and I´ve thought about it from time to time, but I haven´t ...
- 10.6k
36
votes
4
answers
4k
views
How far is Lindelöf from compactness?
A while ago I heard of a nice characterization of compactness but I have never seen a written source of it, so I'm starting to doubt it. I'm looking for a reference, or counterexample, for the ...
- 2,396
34
votes
4
answers
9k
views
Why are the integers with the cofinite topology not path-connected?
An apparently elementary question that bugs me for quite some time:
(1) Why are the integers with the cofinite topology not path-connected?
Recall that the open sets in the cofinite topology on a ...
- 5,743
33
votes
4
answers
7k
views
Topology of function spaces?
Let $X,Y$ be finite-dimensional differentiable manifolds, and let's assume that they are connected. In fact, in applications I would like both $X$ and $Y$ to be riemannian manifolds.
Let $C^\infty(X,...
- 33.3k
29
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Contractibility of the space of Jordan curves
Is the space of Jordan curves in $\textbf{R}^2$ contractible? In other words, is there a canonical or continuous way to deform each Jordan curve to the unit circle $\textbf{S}^1$.
If the curves are ...
- 7,194
26
votes
15
answers
19k
views
Learning Topology
EDIT (Harry): Since this question in its original form was poorly stated (asked about topology rather than graph theory), but we have a list of Topology books in the answers, I guess you should go ...
26
votes
2
answers
4k
views
Why did Robertson and Seymour call their breakthrough result a "red herring"?
One of the major results in graph theory is the graph structure theorem from Robertson and Seymour
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graph_structure_theorem. It gives a deep and fundamental connection ...
- 290
24
votes
6
answers
5k
views
A good place to read about uniform spaces
I'd like to learn a bit about uniform spaces, why are they useful, how do they arise, what do they generalize, etc., without getting away from the context of general topology. I have to prepare an ...
- 3,004
24
votes
5
answers
8k
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totally disconnected and zero-dimensional spaces
When do the notions of totally disconnected space and zero-dimensional space coincide? From what I gather, there are at least three common notions of topological dimension: covering dimension, small ...
- 3,605
24
votes
2
answers
4k
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complement of a totally disconnected closed set in the plane
While preparing a course in complex analysis, I stumbled over a remark in Dudziak's book on removable sets, namely that any totally disconnected $K \subset\subset {\mathbb C}$ must have a connected ...
23
votes
3
answers
2k
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An ultrafilter is a set of subsets containing exactly one element of each finite partition: reference request
There are probably dozens of ways of defining "ultrafilter". The definition I've seen most often involves first defining "filter", then declaring an ultrafilter to be a maximal filter.
But there's ...
- 27.7k
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
21
votes
7
answers
1k
views
Reference for topological graph theory (research / problem-oriented)
I would be interested in recommendations for topological graph theory texts. I think Gross and Yellen has a great chapter on topological graph theory, and I find Mohar and Thomassen's Graphs on ...
21
votes
1
answer
2k
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Characterization of Fréchet-Urysohn spaces using sequential continuity at a point
A map $f \colon X \to Y$ is called sequentially continuous at the point $a$ if for every sequence $(x_n)$ such that $x_n\to a$, we also have $f(x_n)\to f(a)$.
$$x_n\to a \qquad \Rightarrow \qquad f(...
- 4,713
18
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Two definitions of Lebesgue covering dimension
Maybe this question has already been considered here, but after a quick search I didn't find what I was looking for.
As I see, in the literature there are two different definitions of the ...
- 423
18
votes
1
answer
4k
views
reference for "X compact <=> C_b(X) separable" (X metric space)
I know (and am able to prove via Stone-Čech compactification) that the following is correct:
Theorem: A metric space is compact if and only if its space of bounded, continuous, real-valued ...
- 888
17
votes
10
answers
3k
views
References for homotopy colimit
(1) What are some good references for homotopy colimits?
(2) Where can I find a reference for the following concrete construction of a homotopy colimit? Start with a partial ordering, which I will ...
- 12.8k
17
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Who first defined _simply connected_, reference?
The following definition is due to Donald J. Newman:
A connected open subset $D$ of the plane $\mathbb C$
is simply connected
if and only if its complement $\widetilde D = \mathbb C \setminus D$
...
- 1,375
17
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Foundations of topology
I recently went to a talk of Oleg Viro where he expressed his dissatisfaction with current foundations of differential topology parallel to what has been discussed here.
Also some time ago I read ...
- 1,190
17
votes
1
answer
989
views
Can two-point sets be Borel?
Recall that a two-point set is a subset of the plane which meets every line in exactly two points. Such a set was first constructed by Mazurkiewicz in 1914.
I wonder if the following question of ...
- 32.1k
16
votes
5
answers
3k
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Compactness of the Hilbert cube without the Axiom of Choice
I am just curious: is there a published proof of the compactness of the Hilbert cube that does not use the Axiom of Choice, or is it well known?
- 1,481
16
votes
2
answers
4k
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Is there a "disjoint union" sigma algebra?
I'm looking for a measure-theoretic analogue to the disjoint union topology, or for work on the $\sigma$-algebra generated by canonical injections. More formally:
For an indexed family of sets $\{A_i\...
- 629
16
votes
2
answers
820
views
Klee's trick --- more applications
In his "Some topological properties..." (1955), Klee gave a construction (simple and beautiful) of an isotopy $h_t\colon\mathbb{R}^{2\cdot n}\to \mathbb{R}^{2\cdot n}$ which moves any compact set $K$ ...
- 45k
16
votes
1
answer
481
views
Where can I learn more about the topology on $\mathbb{R}$ induced by the map $\mathbb{R} \to \prod_{a>0} (\mathbb{R}/a\mathbb{Z})$?
Consider the (continuous, injective, abelian group homomorphism) map $\Phi \colon \mathbb{R} \to \prod_{a>0} (\mathbb{R}/a\mathbb{Z})$ (where the target is given the product topology) taking $x\in \...
- 32.5k
16
votes
2
answers
4k
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Is the space of continuous functions from a compact metric space into a Polish space Polish?
Let $K$ be a compact metric space, and $(E,d_E)$ a complete separable metric space.
Define $C:=C(K,E)$ to be the continuous functions from $K$ to $E$ equipped with
the metric $d(f,g)=\sup_{k\in K}\ ...
user6096
16
votes
1
answer
521
views
Extending a map from $S^n\to M^n$ to a nice map from $B^{n+1}\to M^n$
Let $S^n$ and $B^{n+1}$ be the unit sphere and unit ball in $\mathbb{R}^{n+1}$, and let $M^n$ be a contractible space of dimension $n$.
If necessary, assume that $M^n$ is a contractible simplicial $n$-...
- 368
15
votes
5
answers
2k
views
Between Tietze's and Dugundji's extension theorems
The celebrated Tietze extension theorem asserts that any continuous real-valued function defined on a closed subset of a normal space, can be extended to a continuous function on the whole space. Seen ...
- 60.5k
15
votes
1
answer
796
views
What is this equivalence relation on topological spaces: there are bijective continuous maps in both directions
Consider the following equivalence relation on topological spaces:
$X\sim Y$ $:\Longleftrightarrow$ there are bijective continuous maps $\phi:X\to Y$ and $\psi:Y\to X$.
Note that there are no ...
- 13.6k
15
votes
3
answers
1k
views
What do absolute neighborhood retracts look like?
In the course of filling in my map of non-pathological topology, I'd like to understand the class of ANRs (Absolute Neighborhood Retracts) as a sort of "neighborhood" of the class of CW complexes. ...
- 63.9k
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
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
14
votes
5
answers
2k
views
Largest Hausdorff quotient
The inclusion of the full subcategory of Hausdorff topological spaces into the category of topological spaces has a left adjoint, which can be proven easily by the Adjoint Functor Theorem (see for ...
- 143
14
votes
4
answers
1k
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Obtain any 3-manifold from repeating surgeries on knots in $S^3$
In Witten's “QFT and Jones Polynomials” paper, page 383, it states that: "It is a not too deep result that every 3-manifold can be obtained from or reduced to $S^3$ (or any other desired 3-manifold) ...
- 755
14
votes
2
answers
761
views
Is there a large colimit-sketch for topological spaces?
Question. Is there a large colimit-sketch $\mathcal{S}$ such that $\mathrm{Mod}(\mathcal{S}) \simeq \mathbf{Top}$?
In other words, is there a category $\mathcal{E}$ with a class of cocones $\mathcal{S}...
- 63.1k
14
votes
1
answer
937
views
Classification of 3-dimensional manifolds with boundary
It is well-known that every closed, connected and orientable 3-manifold $\mathcal{M}$ can uniquely be decomposed as
$$\mathcal{M}=P_{1}\#\dots\# P_{n}$$
where $P_{i}$ are prime manifolds, i.e. ...
- 1,429
13
votes
5
answers
1k
views
A generalization of metric spaces
Let $(L,<,+)$ be a structure such that (1) $<$ is a linear order of $L$, (2) $L$ has a least element 0, (3) $+$ is a binary function on $L$ that behaves like addition of positive real numbers, i....
- 18.6k
13
votes
3
answers
2k
views
A quotient space of complex projective space
Let $\mathbb{C}P^n$ be the $n$-dimensional complex projective space and denote $[z_0:\dots:z_n]$ its points. If we glue $[z_0:\dots:z_n]$ and $[\overline{z_0}:\dots:\overline{z_n}]$ for any $[z_0:\...
- 331
13
votes
2
answers
915
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Topological vector spaces (reference request)
In his book Topological Function Spaces Arhangel'skii says that "it is well known that every nontrivial locally convex linear topological space $X$ is homeomorphic to a space of the form $Y \...
- 674
13
votes
2
answers
2k
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When can we divide continuous functions?
Let $X$ be a compact Hausdorff topological space such that for every continuous $f,g:X\to\mathbb{R}$ with $0\le f\le g$ there is a continuous $h:X\to\mathbb{R}$ such that $f=gh$.
What can be said ...
- 5,529
13
votes
3
answers
670
views
How algebraic can the dual of a topological category be?
(I'm going to try to use definitions from Abstract and Concrete Categories: The Joy of Cats by Adámek, Herrlich, and Strecker, since both of the adjectives in the title of my question seem to have at ...
- 12.5k
13
votes
1
answer
570
views
Configuration spaces, Ran spaces, free semilattices, Vietoris spaces and power objects
These are five important constructions and I would like to know how they are related.
The $n$th unordered configuration space of a space $X$ is
$$
\operatorname{UConf}_n(X):=\{\text{embeddings of $\{...
- 18.4k
13
votes
1
answer
719
views
Homotopy theory for spanning trees of a graph
I am studying a paper of L. Lovász, ``A homology theory for spanning trees of a graph,'' but professor Babai has told me that Lovász later realized that this work is better framed in the language of ...
- 5,898
13
votes
3
answers
357
views
How should one look at the set of compatible ring structures on a given group?
Earlier today I had a conversation with a friend about ways of putting topologies on sets of first-order structures; we wound up talking about reducts and expansions from a topological point of view, ...
- 20.5k
13
votes
1
answer
736
views
Idempotent measures on the free binary system?
Let $(S,*)$ be the free (non associative) binary system on one generator (so $S$ is just the set of terms in $*$ and $1$). There is an extension of $*$ to the space $P(S)$ of finitely additive ...
- 3,547
13
votes
0
answers
364
views
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
12
votes
4
answers
1k
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Elementary proof that knot complements are path-connected
The complement of any (topological) knot is path-connected. More precisely, if $K$ is a subset of $\mathbb{R}^3$ (or $S^3$) homeomorphic to $S^1$, then $\mathbb{R}^3\setminus K$ (or $S^3\setminus K$) ...
- 35.9k
12
votes
4
answers
2k
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Early illustrations of topological notions in published work
Cross-posted from HSM: I posted this question a bit more than a week ago but have not gotten any answers at HSM. The only comment on the posting asks if I would accept polyhedral pictures ...
- 28.2k
12
votes
4
answers
1k
views
What was Burroni's sketch for topological spaces?
In a 1981 talk, René Guitart cites Albert Burroni as having given "A first interesting example of a mixed sketch...for the category of topological spaces" in 1970. This was apparently done in Burroni'...
- 3,411
12
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Concrete examples of covering from the 3-torus to the 3-sphere
There is a two-fold branched covering from 2-torus to the 2-sphere, $T^2 \rightarrow S^2$, whose covering transformation group is generated by the map $x \mapsto -x$ (Note that $T^2$ is an abelian ...
- 441