Tychonoff's Theorem
Contents |
General Theorem
Let $\left \langle {X_i}\right \rangle_{i \in I}$ be a family of non-empty topological spaces, where $I$ is an arbitrary index set.
Let $\displaystyle X = \prod_{i \mathop \in I} X_i$ be the corresponding product space.
Then $X$ is compact if and only if each $X_i$ is.
Proof
First assume that $X$ is compact.
Since the projections $\operatorname{pr}_i : X \to X_i$ are continuous, it follows that the $X_i$ are compact.
Assume now that each $X_i$ is compact.
By Equivalent Definitions of Compactness it is enough to show that every ultrafilter on $X$ converges.
Thus let $\mathcal F$ be an ultrafilter on $X$.
For each $i \in I$, the image filter $\operatorname{pr}_i \left({\mathcal F}\right)$ then is an ultrafilter on $X_i$.
Since each $X_i$ is compact by assumption, by Equivalent Definitions of Compactness, each $\operatorname{pr}_i \left({\mathcal F}\right)$ converges.
By Filter on Product Space Converges iff Projections Converge, $\mathcal F$ converges.
$\blacksquare$
Tychonoff's Theorem for Hausdorff Spaces
Let $\left \langle {X_i}\right \rangle_{i \in I}$ be a family of non-empty Hausdorff spaces, where $I$ is an arbitrary index set.
Let $\displaystyle X = \prod_{i \mathop \in I} X_i$ be the corresponding product space.
Then $X$ is compact if and only if each $X_i$ is.
Proof
First assume that $X$ is compact.
Since the projections $\operatorname{pr}_i : X \to X_i$ are continuous, it follows that the $X_i$ are compact.
Assume now that each $X_i$ is compact.
By Equivalent Definitions of Compactness it is enough to show that every ultrafilter on $X$ converges.
Thus let $\mathcal F$ be an ultrafilter on $X$.
For each $i \in I$, the image filter $\operatorname{pr}_i \left({\mathcal F}\right)$ then is an ultrafilter on $X_i$.
Since each $X_i$ is compact by assumption, by Equivalent Definitions of Compactness, each $\operatorname{pr}_i \left({\mathcal F}\right)$ converges.
By Filter on Product of Hausdorff Spaces Converges iff Projections Converge, $\mathcal F$ converges.
$\blacksquare$
Source of Name
This entry was named for Andrey Nikolayevich Tychonoff.
Also See
Tychonoff's Theorem Without Choice, a version that holds under more restrictive conditions but does not require the Axiom of Choice.
Sources
- Lynn Arthur Steen and J. Arthur Seebach, Jr.: Counterexamples in Topology (1970)... (previous)... (next): $\text{I}: \ \S 3$: Invariance Properties