Reconstructing Compact Metrizable Spaces

TL;DR

This paper characterizes non-reconstructible compact metrizable spaces by their local structure, specifically the existence of certain sequences of clopen sets, and explores conditions under which spaces are reconstructible or not.

Contribution

It provides a precise topological characterization of non-reconstructible compact metrizable spaces based on local clopen set sequences.

Findings

Non-reconstructible spaces have dense G_delta sets of 1-point components.

For h-homogeneous spaces, the given condition is sufficient for non-reconstruction.

Examples of both reconstructible and non-reconstructible spaces with dense G_delta sets are provided.

Abstract

The deck, $\mathcal{D}(X)$, of a topological space $X$ is the set $\mathcal{D}(X)=\{[X \setminus \{x\}]\colon x \in X\}$, where $[Y]$ denotes the homeomorphism class of $Y$. A space $X$ is (topologically) reconstructible if whenever $\mathcal{D}(Z)=\mathcal{D}(X)$ then $Z$ is homeomorphic to $X$. It is known that every (metrizable) continuum is reconstructible, whereas the Cantor set is non-reconstructible. The main result of this paper characterises the non-reconstructible compact metrizable spaces as precisely those where for each point $x$ there is a sequence $\langle B_n^x \colon n \in \mathbb{N}\rangle$ of pairwise disjoint clopen subsets converging to $x$ such that $B_n^x$ and $B_n^y$ are homeomorphic for each $n$, and all $x$ and $y$. In a non-reconstructible compact metrizable space the set of $1$-point components forms a dense $G_\delta$. For $h$-homogeneous spaces, this condition is sufficient for non-reconstruction. A wide variety of spaces with a dense $G_\delta$ set of $1$-point components are presented, some reconstructible and others not reconstructible.