HOUSTON JOURNAL OF MATHEMATICS, Volume 5, No. 1, 1979.

A FIXED POINT THEOREM FOR HYPERSPACE SUSPENSIONS

Sam B. Nadler, Jr.*

ABSTRACT. Let X be a (metric) continuum,let C(X) denotethe

space
of allnonempty
subcontinua
of X, andlet Fi(X) c C(X)
denote the spaceof singletons.The hyperspacesuspensionof X
is thequotient
space
C(X)/Fi(X). Themainresultis thatthe
hyperspacesuspension
of any chainablecontinuumhasthe fixed
point property.

1. Introduction. Let (X,d) be a continuutn, i.e., a compact connected metric

space
containing
morethanonepoint.Let 2X denote
thespace
of all nonempty
compact
subsets
of X, 2X being
metrized
bytheHausdorff
metric
Hd defined
as
follows:
ForanyK1,K2C2Xand anye> 0,let
Nd(e,Ki)= { x C X: d(x,z)• e forsomez • Ki }
for eachi = 1 and2, anddefineHd(K1,K2) by
Hd(K1,K2)= inf(e > 0: K1 C Nd(e,K2)andK2 C Nd(e,K1)}.
Thespace
C(X)isthesubspace
of 2X given
by
C(X)= {K • 2X:K isconnected}.
The spaces
2X and C(X) are calledhyperspaces
of X. For basicfactsabout
hyperspaces, see [ 5 ] and [ 11 ].

Let Fi(X ) = { (•:} • C(X): x • X}. By thehyperspace

suspension
of X, denoted
by HS(X), we meanthedecomposition
spaceobtainedfromC(X) by "pinchingF1(X)
to a point," i.e.,

HS(X) = C(X)/F1(X)
with the quotient topology. The terminology "hyperspace suspension of X" comes

from the following considerations.Recall [4, 5.4, page 127] that the usual suspension
S(X) of X is homeomorphicto the quotient spaceCone(X)/B(X), where B(X) denotes

*The authorwaspartiallysupportedby NationalResearchCouncil(Canada)grantNo. A5616.

125
126 SAM B. NADLER, Jr.

the base of the cone over X. The hyperspace C(X) resembles the cone over X in that

C(X) has levels, given by Whitney maps •t: C(X)-• [0,1], and arcs (x)X from each

(x)• Fi(X)toX• C(X)such

thateach
(x)Xintersects
each
level
•t-l(t)only
once.
Thus,
since
Fi(X)=WI(0)and(X) =•t-l(1),Fi(X)isanalogous
tothebase
B(X)of
Cone(X) and X • C(X) is analogous to the vertex of Cone(X). Hence, HS(X) is
analogous to S(X). Moreover, [8], HS(X) is algebraically similar to the usual
suspension
of X in thatHn+I(Hs(X))
isisomorphic
to Hn(x),for eachn = 0,1,...,
using reduced Alexander cohomology. Finally we mention that for all continua X for

which it is known that C(X) is actually homeomorphic to the cone over X (see [10],
onto
[11, Chapter VIII], [14], and [15]), a homeomorphism h: C(X) • Cone(X) can

bepickedsothath(F1X))= B(X) - see[11, page332]; hence,for suchX, HS(X)is

actually homeomorphic to the usual suspensionof X.

It is known that if X is a chainable continuum, then C(X) has the fixed •0oint

property [17, Theorem 3]. The purpose of this paper is to show that if X is a
chainable continuum, then HS(X) has the fixed point property [see (3.1)]. Our proof
will show that HS(X) is disk-like for any chainable continuum X [see (3.2)]. Hence,

(3.1) provides a new classof disk-like continua with the fixed point property - see the

still unansweredquestion in [2,page 84].

2. Preliminaries. By a napping we mean a continuous function. A mapping f

froma space
Z1 intoa spaceZ2 issaidto beessential
provided
thatf isnothomotopic
to a constant
mapping.If A C Z1, thenthe symbolflA denotes
therestriction
of f to
A. Assuming
thatZ1 hasa metric/•1andthate > 0, themapping
f: Z 1-• Z2 issaidto
beane-map
with
respect
to/•1provided
thatthe/•
1-diameter
offfl(ffq))isless
than
e
for eachq • Z 1.
A continuum X is said to be chainable (or snake-like) provided that for each

e > 0, there exists an e-map from X onto the unit interval I = [0,1 ]. It is well known
and easy to prove that the definition just given is equivalent to the usual one in terms
of chains(in, for example, [ 1] or [7, page 224] ).

A continuum Y is said to have the fixed point property provided that every
mappingf from Y into Y hasa fixed point, i.e., a point y • Y suchthat f(y) = y.
LetR2 denote
theEuclidean
plane
andletS1andB2 bedefined
by:
 A FIXED POINT THEOREM FOR HYPERSPACE SUSPENSIONS 127

S1={(Xl,X2)•R2'x•+x•=1),
B2=((Xl,X
2)• R2:x•+x22
•<1}.
A simpleclosedcurve[resp.,
a 2-cell]isanycontinuum whichishomeomorphictoS1
[resp.,
B2].If T isa 2-cell,
thenthemanifold boundary bToft ish'l(s1) where
h is
anygivenhomeomorphism fromT ontoB2. A continuum Z issaid
tobecontractible
withrespect
to S1 providedthatevery mapping
f: Z-->S1ishomotopic toaconstant
mapping [7, page 434]. A continuum Z is said to be disk-like provided that for each
e > 0, there exists an e-map from Z onto a 2-cell.

The result in [ 17, Theorem 3 ], mentioned here at the end of Section 1, is proved

by different methods in [6] and [16]. The key idea for the proofs in [6] and [16] is
the use of some consequencesof a generalresult due to Lokuciewski [9]. In our proof
of (3.1), we will use the form of Lokuciewski's result that was used in [ 6]:

(2.1) PROPOSITION. [6, 1.1]. Let Z be a continuum which is contractible

withrespect
toS1.If,foreach
e> O,there
exists
ane-map
fe:Z->T,where
T isa
2-cell,
anda nonemptysubset
Aeoff-i(bT)
such
that
feiAe:Ae -> bT
is essential,then Z has the fixed point property.
In order to be able to use (2.1) in the proof of (3.1), we need to know that
HS(X)iscontractible
withrespect
to S1 whenever
X isa chainable
continuum.
We
have the following general result:
(2.2) THEOREM. For any continuum X, HS(X) is contractible with respect to
S1'
PROOF. Let X be a continuum. By [12, The6rem 3], C(X) has property (b),
equivalently
[18,page
226],C(X)iscontractible
withrespect
toS1. Hence,
letting
v: C(X) • HS(X)

denote the quotient map and noting that v is a monotone mapping, we have that

HS(X)iscontractible
withrespect
toS1by[7,Theorem
2(ii),page
434].Thisproves
(2.2).

Let Y/A and Z/B be the quotientspaces

obtainedfrom continuaY andZ by
"pinching
subcontinua
A of Y andB of Z to points."Wewilluse[y], y G Y, and[z],
 128 SAM B. NADLER, Jr.

zCZ, to denotethe pointsof Y/A and Z/B. If f: Y-->Z is a mappingsuchthat

f(A) C B, thenf inducesa mappingf..•: Y/A -> Z/B definedby

f..ff[y]) = [f(y)]

for each[y] C Y/A (see[4], pages17 and 126]). The followingtechnicallemmawill

be usefulin the proof of (3.1).

(2.3) LEMMA.Let (Y,t>)andZ be continua,let A bea subcontinuum

of Y, and
let B bea subcontinuum
of Z. Then.'Thereisa metricc•for Y/A suchthat(Y/A,o0 is
homeomorphicto Y/A with the quotient topologyand such that if f: Y--• Z is an
e-map(any e)0) with respectto la and f(A) =B, then the inducedmap
f..•: Y/A --•Z/B (definedabove)isan e-mapwith respectto
PROOF.
LetPA= {AU{y}' yCY},asasubspaceof2
YwiththeHausdorff
metric
Hfi,anddefine
g:Y/A• PAby
g([y]) = A U [y]

for each[y] C Y/A. It iseasyto verifythat g isa homeomorphism

fromY/A, withthe
quotient
topology,
ontoPA' Defineo•onY/A X Y/A by

o•([Y
1],[Y2]) --Hp(g([y
1]),g([Y2
] ))
for each[Yl ],[Y2] • Y/A. Sinceg is a homeomorphism,
o•is a metricfor Y/A such
that (Y/A,o0 is homeomorphic
to Y/A with the quotienttopology.Let e ) 0 andlet
f: Y--• Z be an e-mapwith respectto p suchthat f(A) = B. To showthat f..• is an
e-mapwithrespect toa,let[z]• Z/Bandlet[Yl],[Y2
] c ff•([z]).Wemust
show
thata([yl],[y2])< e.Bytheformulasfora,g,andHt>,thismeans wemust
show
that (1) and (2) hold:

(1) A t3[yl] C Np(e,A U [y2]),

(2) A U [y2]CNp(e,A t3[yl]).
Weprove (1). First,assume
that[z] =B.Then,since
f...([yl]) = [z] = B,[f(Yl)] = B.
Thus,f(Yl)• B. Hence, since
f(A)=B, thereexistsa1• A suchthatf(al)= f(Yl)'
Thus,sincef is ane-mapwithrespect
to t>,t>(Yl,al)<e. It followseasilyfromthis
that (1) holds(underour assumption
that [z] = B). Next, assume
that [z] 4: B. Then,
[z] = ( z }. Thus, since

[f(Yi)] = f"ff[Yi])= [z] = (z}

 A FIXED POINT THEOREM FOR HYPERSPACE SUSPENSIONS 129

for eachi = 1 and2, f(Yi)= z for eachi = 1 and2. Hence,sincef is an e-mapwith

respectto p, we havethat p(yl,Y2)<e. This impliesthat (1) holds(underour
assumption that [z] • B). Therefore, in either case, we have shown that (1) holds. By

symmetry, (2) holds. Therefore, we have proved (2.3).

One can easily construct examples to show that (2.3) would not necessarily

remain valid if the condition f(A) = B were replaced by the condition f(A) C B, e.g.:
Let Y = Z, let f: Y -4 Z be the identity map, let A be a proper subcontinuumof Y, and
let B = Z.

3. The main theorem. In this section we prove two results, the first of which is

the main theorem of this paper.

(3.1) THEOREM. If X is a chainablecontinuum, then HS(X) has the fixed point

property.

PROOF. Let I = [0,1]. First we establish some notation and facts about HS(I)
leading to (1) below. Let

v: C(I) -4 HS(I)

denotethequotientmap,let Po= V(Fl(I)) C HS(I), andlet Pl = v(I) CHS(I). Let

F 1 = (G•C(I): 0•G),
F2=(G•C(I): 1•
It is easyto seethat 1,1 and I' 2 are arcsandthat C(I) is a 2-cellwhosemanifold
boundary
is1'1LJ1'2LJFi(I ) [3, page267]. Hence,it followseasilythat
(1) HS(I) is a 2-cellwithmanifold
boundary
S= v(F1) LJv(1'2), wherev(1'1)and
v(1'2)arearcssuchthatv(F1)C•v(F2)= {po,Pl}.
Since S is a simple closed curve, we have by (2.2) that

(2) HS(X) is contractible with respect to S.

Hence, to prove (3.1), it suffices by (1) and (2) to show that e-maps from HS(X) into

HS(I), of the type in (2.1), exist for each e > 0. Let e > 0. Since X is a chainable
continuum, there exists an e-map g from X onto I. Let

f: C(X) -4 C(I)

be the map induced by g, i.e.,

ffK) = { g(x): x C K}
130 SAM B. NADLER, Jr.

for eachK G C(X). Sinceg is an e-map,we haveby [6, 2.5] that f (='•) isane-map.
Thus,sincef mapsF1(X) ontoF1(I), wehaveby (2.3) that
f,.•: HS(X) • HS(I)

is an e-map [where we assumethat the metric for HS(X)is the metric o•of (2.3)]. By
Zorn's lemma, there exists M C C(X) such that f(M) = I and f(L) 4: I for any proper

subcontinuum
L of M. Letx1,x2 C M such
thatf((x 1}) = {0} andf({x2}) = ( 1}. By
[5, 2.3 and 2.6], there exist segments(for definition, see [5, page 24] )

Ol,O2:[0,1] * C(X)
suchthat oi(0)= (xi) andoi(1)= M for eachi= 1 and2. LetAi= oi([0,1]) foreach
i = 1 and2. Fromtheproperties
of M, Xl, x2, andsegments
[5, 2.1 and2.2], wehave
that

(3) A 1 andA2 arearcs,

(4) A1 NA 2={M},
(5) AiNF I(X) ={{x i}} foreachi= 1 and2,
and (using the formula for f)

(6) f(Ai) = Fi for eachi = 1 and2.

Let v': C(X) -> HS(X) denotethe quotient map and let

qo= v'(FI(X))CHS(X),
q1= u'(M)c HS(X).
It follows easily from (3) through (5) that

(7) S'= v'(A1) U v'(A2)is a simpleclosed

curve,wherev'(A1) andv'(A2)are
arcssuchthatv'(A1) C•v'(A2)= { qo,ql}-
Sincef•o v' = v of, it follows from (6) that

(8) L.•(v'(Ai))
= v(Fi)foreachi = 1 and2
andit followsfromthe definitions
of qo,ql, Po,andPl [also,recallthatf(M)= I]
that

(9) L.ffqo)= Poandf"•(ql) = Pl'

It followseasilyfrom (1) and(7) through(9) that f..•lS': S' -> S is essential.Hence,we
have shown that f..• is an e-map of the type in (2.1). Therefore, since e > 0 was

arbitrary, we haveproved (3.1).

 A FIXED POINT THEOREMFOR HYPERSPACESUSPENSIONS 131

Let us note the followingcorollaryto the proof of (3.1).

(3.2) COROLLARY.If X isa chainable
continuum,thenHS(X) isdisk-like.
PROOF. Let f... be asin the proof of (3.1), wherewe showedthat f... is an e-map
fromHS(X) into the 2-cellHS(I). Thus,it sufficesto showthat f... mapsHS(X) onto
HS(I). As wasshownin the proof of (3.1),

f...[S': S' -• S is essential

whichimplies,by using(2.2), that f... mapsHS(X) ontoHS(I).

4. Concludingconunentsand questions.
ThoughC(X) has the fixed point
propertyif X is chainable
or circle-like([6] and[ 16]) andHS(X) hasthe fixedpoint
propertyif X is chainable
[by (3.1)], HS(X) doesnotnecessarily
havethefixedpoint
property
whenX iscircle-like
(forexample,
whenX = S1).
(4.1) QUESTION. For what circle-likecontinuaX doesHS(X) havethe fixed
pointproperty?If a circle-likecontinuumX hasthe fixedpointproperty,thendoes
HS(X) havethe fixed point property?
SomeresultsaboutwhenC(X) ishomeomorphicto the usualsuspension
of X are
in [13, 1.1 and 2.5]:

(4.2) QUESTION.For what continuaX is HS(X) homeomorphic

to the usual
suspension
S(X) of X? In view of commentsin Section1, we ask: If C(X) is
homeomorphic
to the coneoverX, then is HS(X) homeomorphic
to S(X)?Thislast
questionwouldhave an affirmativeanswerif the questionin [11, (8.34)] hasan
affirmative answer.

In [8], (2.2), and (3.2) somefactsaboutthe structureof IlS(X) aredetermined.

More information about the structure of HS(X) would seem to be of interest. In

connectionwith (3.2), it can be shownthat if X is circle-likeandnot chainable,then

HS(X)isS2-1ike.

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Universityof Kentucky
Lexington,Kentucky40504 ReceivedMay 30, 1978