Tychonoff's Theorem
![]() | This page has been identified as a candidate for refactoring of advanced complexity. In particular: The vast majority of the general version and the version for Hausdorff spaces are precisely identical. Until this has been finished, please leave {{Refactor}} in the code.
New contributors: Refactoring is a task which is expected to be undertaken by experienced editors only. Because of the underlying complexity of the work needed, it is recommended that you do not embark on a refactoring task until you have become familiar with the structural nature of pages of $\mathsf{Pr} \infty \mathsf{fWiki}$.To discuss this page in more detail, feel free to use the talk page. When this work has been completed, you may remove this instance of {{Refactor}} from the code. |
Theorem
General Theorem
Let $I$ be an indexing set.
Let $\family {X_i}_{i \mathop \in I}$ be an indexed family of non-empty topological spaces.
Let $\ds X = \prod_{i \mathop \in I} X_i$ be the corresponding product space.
Then $X$ is compact if and only if each $X_i$ is compact.
Tychonoff's Theorem for Hausdorff Spaces
Let:
- $I$ be an indexing set.
Let $\family {X_i}_{i \mathop \in I}$ be an indexed family of non-empty Hausdorff spaces.
Let $\ds X = \prod_{i \mathop \in I} X_i$ be the corresponding product space.
Then $X$ is compact if and only if each $X_i$ is compact.
Proof
![]() | This article, or a section of it, needs explaining. In particular: Missing reference to the use of Boolean Prime Ideal Theorem/Ultrafilter Lemma or Axiom of Choice/Zorn's Lemma You can help $\mathsf{Pr} \infty \mathsf{fWiki}$ by explaining it. To discuss this page in more detail, feel free to use the talk page. When this work has been completed, you may remove this instance of {{Explain}} from the code. |
First assume that $X$ is compact.
From Projection from Product Topology is Continuous, the projections:
- $\pr_i : X \to X_i$
are continuous.
From Continuous Image of Compact Space is Compact, it follows that the $X_i$ are compact.
Assume now that each $X_i$ is compact.
By Equivalence of Definitions of Compact Topological Space it is enough to show that every ultrafilter on $X$ converges.
Thus let $\FF$ be an ultrafilter on $X$.
From Image of Ultrafilter is Ultrafilter, for each $i \in I$, the image filter $\map {\pr_i} \FF$ is an ultrafilter on $X_i$.
Each $X_i$ is compact by assumption.
So by definition of compact, each $\map {\pr_i} \FF$ converges.
From Filter on Product of Hausdorff Spaces Converges iff Projections Converge, $\FF$ converges.
So, as $\FF$ was arbitrary, $X$ is compact.
$\blacksquare$
Also known as
Tychonoff's theorem is also seen presented as Tikhonov's theorem, based on an alternative transliteration of Tychonoff's name.
Also see
- Tychonoff's Theorem Without Choice, a version that holds under more restrictive conditions but does not require the Axiom of Choice.
Source of Name
This entry was named for Andrey Nikolayevich Tychonoff.
Historical Note
The theorem known as Tychonoff's theorem was demonstrated in $1930$ by Andrey Nikolayevich Tychonoff, and independently in $1939$ by Eduard Čech.
Sources
- 1975: W.A. Sutherland: Introduction to Metric and Topological Spaces ... (previous) ... (next): $5$: Compact spaces: $5.6$: Compactness and Constructions: Remark $5.6.3$
- 1978: Lynn Arthur Steen and J. Arthur Seebach, Jr.: Counterexamples in Topology (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Part $\text I$: Basic Definitions: Section $3$: Compactness: Invariance Properties
- 2008: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (4th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Tychonoff's theorem