Mem. Fac. Sci. Eng. Shimane Univ.
Series B: Mathematical Science
39 (2006), pp. 1–13

CONNECTIVE SPACESJOSEPH MUSCAT AND DAVID BUHAGIAR
Communicated by Takuo Miwa
(Received: November 7, 2005)

Abstract. A new category of connective spaces is defined, which includes topological spaces and simple graphs, and generalizes the concept of connectedness.
Not every connective space has a compatible topology; those that do are characterized by compatible partial orders.

1. Connective Spaces
1.1. Introduction. As a topological concept connectedness is of somewhat different character than most other important properties, such as the covering properties,
studied in the category TOP. Its aim is to topologically explain the intuitive notion of continuity of a point set. Roughly speaking, a connected space is one whichcannot be represented as the sum of two pieces far from each other.
The contemporary definition of connectedness is that a topological space X isconnected if it cannot be represented as the sum X1 ⊕ X2 of two non-empty subspaces of X, that is it cannot be decomposed into two disjoint non-empty closed(open) subsets. This definition was introduced by Jordan in 1893 [4] for the classof compact subsets of the plane. The definition for general topological spaces wasgiven by Hausdorff in 1914 [3] although the notion was given earlier by Lennes [7].
A systematic study of connected topological spaces was carried out by Hausdorff[3] and by Knaster and Kuratowski [5]. If a space is not connected then it is said
to be disconnected. An excellent exposition of connected spaces is given in [6].
Another form of connectedness is path-connectedness. A topological space X
is said to be path-connected if for any two points x and y in X there exists a
continuous function f from the unit interval [0, 1] to X such that f (0) = x andf (1) = y (This function is called a path from x to y). Every path-connected space isconnected. Examples of connected spaces that are not path-connected include theextended long line. However, subsets of the real line R are connected if, and only
if, they are path-connected; these subsets are the intervals of R. Also, open subsets
of Rn or Cn are connected if, and only if, they are path-connected. Additionally,
connectedness and path-connectedness are the same for finite topological spaces.
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A related notion is that of connectedness in simple graphs. A graph is said to beconnected if there is a path consisting of edges from any point to any other pointin the graph. A graph that is not connected is said to be disconnected.
The aim of this article is to axiomatize certain properties of connected sets andform a category of connective spaces as defined in the next section.
1.2. Definition.
Definition 1.1. A connective space is a set X together with a collection ofsubsets C, such that the following axioms hold:TS(i) ∀C ⊆ C
C 6= ∅ =⇒C ∈ C,(ii) ∀x ∈ X {x} ∈ C,(iii) Given any nonempty sets A, B ∈ C with A ∪ B ∈ C then∃x ∈ A ∪ B : {x} ∪ A ∈ C and {x} ∪ B ∈SC,(iv) if A, B, Ci ∈ CSare disjoint and A ∪SB ∪ i∈I Ci ∈ C then∃J ⊆ I, A ∪ j∈J Cj ∈ C and B ∪ i∈I−J Ci ∈ C.
The collection C is called the connective structure or connectology of X,
and its elements are called the connected sets of X. One can add the axiom thatthe empty set is connected although this follows from (i). Connected sets withtwo elements are called edges. Spaces that satisfy (i) and (ii) only, will be called
c-spaces, and the corresponding C a c-structure.
1.2.1. Examples.
• The real line R together with the intervals is a connective space.
• Connective structures are partially ordered by set inclusion C1 ⊆ C2 ; C2
is called coarser/weaker than C1 and the latter finer/stronger than theformer. The weakest connectology is the power set, P(X), called the totallyconnected space on X; the strongest consists of the single points and ∅, andis called the totally disconnected space on X.
• Finite simple graphs are connective spaces on finite sets, with the connected
sets being the ‘edge-connected’ subgraphs. It will be shown later that every
connective spaces on a finite set is a graph.
• Topological spaces, with the connected sets defined as usual by the nonexistence of non-trivial open partitions, are connective spaces. Axiom (iv)
is an equivalent formulation of a theorem of Kuratowski [6]. Finer topologies (with more open sets) induce finer connectologies (with less connectedsets).
A topology is an additional structure on top of a connectology: later
it will be shown that homeomorphic topological spaces must have ‘isomorphic’ connectologies, but the converse is false. For example, the totally disconnected connectology can arise from several non-homeomorphic
topologies on the same set (e.g. Q and N have ‘isomorphic’ connectologies
but different topologies.)• There are connective spaces that are not topologizable. In fact there aregraphs such as the pentagon C5 (or any Cn with n ≥ 5 odd), which do not
admit any topology having the same connected sets.

CONNECTIVE SPACES

3• The cofinite connective space on a set has connected sets consisting of ∅,the singletons and the infinite subsets.
• The connected sets of X which contain a particular point x ∈ X, together
with all the singletons, form a connective space, called the connective structure of X rooted at the point x.
1.3. Touching Sets.
Definition 1.2. A point x is said to touch a set A when there is a non-empty
subset C ⊆ A such that {x} ∪ C is connected. Subsets A and B are said to touch
when there is a point x ∈ A ∪ B which touches both A and B.
The set of points touching a set A will be denoted by t(A). The following aresome trivial consequences:
Proposition 1.1.
(i) A ⊆ t(A);(ii) When A is connected, x touches A ⇐⇒ {x} ∪ A is connected;(iii) For A, B 6= ∅ connected, A ∪ B connected ⇐⇒ A, B touch;(iv) If A touches B ⊆ C then A touches C;(v) AT⊆ B =⇒Tt(A) ⊆ t(B);(vi) t( i Ai ) ⊆ i t(Ai ).
Proposition 1.2. There is a partition on X of maximally connected sets, called
components. Every non-empty connected set is contained in a unique component.
Components do not touch, and contain all points that touch them.
Proof. The relation defined by {x, y} ⊆ C for some C ∈ C is reflexive by axiom(ii), trivially symmetric and transitive by axiom (i). Moreover,[{x, y} ⊆ C ∈ C ⇐⇒ y ∈ {C ∈ C : x ∈ C},
so that the component of x is the union of all the connected sets containing x. Thisshows that it is maximally connected and that every connected set with a point x
must be in its component.
If components C and D touch then their union C ∪ D would also be connected,
and this is possible only when C = D. Finally, if x touches a component C, thenC ∪ {x} is connected, so that x ∈ C by maximality of components.
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Note that these components agree with the distinct definitions of “connectedcomponents” in graphs and in topological spaces.
Axiom (i) can be replaced by the following: if Ci , i ∈ I are S
non-empty connected
sets and ∃i0 ∈ I such that Ci0 and Ci touch ∀i ∈ I, then i∈I Ci is connected.
Simply note that the sets Ci ∪ C0 have non-empty intersection so that their union
is connected. The following is also true: a set C0 is connected if, and only if, every
cover of non-empty connected sets touching C0 has connected union. (Proof: forthe converse, take the cover of touching components.)
Axiom (iv) is equivalent to the either of the following statements due to Kuratowski [6]:

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J. MUSCAT AND D. BUHAGIAR(a) If A ⊆ B are both connected and C is maximally connected in B − A, thenB − C is connected;
SS(b) If Ai , Bj are finite families of connected sets with i Ai ∪ j Bj connected,
then ∃i, j Ai ∪Bj connected. (The proof is by induction on the sizes of the families);SN(c) If Ai , 0 ≤ i ≤ N, is a finite family of connected
sets
with
i=0 Ai connectedSnthen the Ai , 1 ≤ i, can be rearranged so that A0 ∪ i=1 Ai is connected for n =1, . . . , N .
Proposition (a) is a rewording of axiom (iv), while a careful reading of Kuratowski’s proofs shows that (b) and (c) do not use strictly topological properties ofconnected sets, but only proposition (a). A particular case of (c) is the following:(1)

A, B, C ∈ C,

A ∪ B ∪ C ∈ C =⇒ A ∪ B ∈ C OR A ∪ C ∈ C.

Proposition 1.3. Every finite connective space is a simple graph.
Proof. Let A = {a1 , . . . , an } be a connective space. Assume, by induction, thatevery connective space with m elements is a graph for m < n. Let C ⊆ A be
any non-empty connected subset. We need to show that any two vertices in C areconnected by a path of edges. Let a, b be any two vertices in C. The connective
subspace C − {a} is a graph, by induction, and applying statement (b) to thevertex a and the vertices of C − {a}, we deduce that {a, c} is connected (an edge)
for some c ∈ C − {a}. Hence C is a connected graph, and there must be path ofedges joining a to b. Conversely, every edge-connected subset of A is connected,
by repeated use of axiom (i), so that the connected subsets of A are precisely theedge-connected ones.
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1.4. Morphisms.
Definition 1.3. A function f : X → Y on connective spaces, is called
c-continuous or catenuous when it maps connected sets of X to connected setsof Y . A catenomorphism is an isomorphism i.e. a bijective map f : X → Y forwhich f and f −1 are c-continuous.
One can also define c-continuity at a point when the map preserves the connective
structure rooted at that point.
Any function which maps components of X to constants is obviously
c-continuous; for example, every function on a totally disconnected space. Hence
X is connected if, and only if, every c-continuous map into the totally disconnected
space {0, 1} is constant.
These are indeed morphisms because when f : X → Y and g : Y → Z arec-continuous, then so is g ◦ f ; and the identity maps are obviously c-continuous.
The c-continuous mappings on graphs are precisely the graph homomorphisms
i.e. those that preserve edges or join adjacent vertices.
Continuous mappings between topological spaces are c-continuous, but the converse is false e.g. f (x) = sin(1/x), f (0) = 0 is c-continuous on R but not continuous.
Homeomorphisms are catenomorphisms; in fact the standard examples in textbooks
showing that the circle, the real line and the real plane are not homeomorphic, in
effect show that they are not catenomorphic.

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5

It is not hard to show that for R with the usual topology, order-preserving
c-continuous maps are continuous; and that bijective c-continuous maps are orderpreserving.
The space of c-continuous functions from X to C is an algebra, since addition
and multiplication are continuous on C2 .
1.5. Subspaces.
Definition 1.4. A subset Y ⊆ X can be given the connectivity structure CY :={A ∈ CX : A ⊆ Y }.
It is easily checked that this is a connectology. The restriction of a c-continuous
map to a subspace remains c-continuous.
This definition agrees with that of subgraphs, and is consistent with the connected sets of topological subspaces with the relative topology.
1.6. Quotient Spaces.
S
Definition 1.5. A partition of connected sets, X = i Ei induces a connective
quotient space, with a collection of equivalence classes being connected when theirunion in X is connected.
Proof. Axioms (i), (ii) and (iv) are trivially satisfied. For axiom (iii), let A, B beconnected sets in the quotient space, with A ∪ B connected. Then they are bothconnected as subsets of X, so that there is a point x ∈ X with {x} ∪ A and {x} ∪ B
connected in X. But x ∈ Ej for some j, implying that Ej ∪ A and Ej ∪ B areconnected in X, and hence in the quotient space.
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The map φ : x 7→ [x] where x ∈ EiS= [x], isSc-continuous,
S as follows: let C be a
non-empty connected set in X; then φC = x∈C [x] = x∈C C ∪ [x] is connected
in X by axiom (i).
The partition of components induces a totally disconnected quotient space.
1.7. Bases.
Proposition 1.4. Any collection of sets B can generate a c-structure defined as
the unique smallest c-structure containing B.
T
Proof. Let C = {D c-structure : B ⊆TD}. Note that P(X) is a valid D. C is a
c-structure sinceS
S let Ci ∈ C such that i Ci 6= ∅. Then for any D, Ci ∈ D, hencei Ci ∈ D andi Ci ∈ C. Similarly the points are in any c-structure D and hencemust be in C. Moreover B is in C since it is in all the D.
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The sets in B will be called basic connected sets. In the above examples, theclosed bounded intervals generate the connective structure of R; the edges generatethat of graphs.
Definition 1.6. A chain of connected sets is a map C from a finite index set I to
C such that each set Ci intersects its successor Ci+1 .

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We will sometimes abuse the notation and speak of Ci as the chain. Chains canobviously be concatenated and reversed. Moreover induction on axiom (i) showsthat chains are connected sets.
Proposition 1.5. The non-trivial (i.e. non-empty non-punctal) connected sets ofa c-structure generated by B are characterized by the condition that any two points
of such a connected set C can be joined by a finite chain of basic connected sets in
C i.e. for all x, y ∈ C there is a chain B : I 7→ B such that Bi ⊆ C, x ∈ B0 andy ∈ B1 .
Proof. Let E be the collection of subsets C ⊆ X for which every two points in C
can be joined by a finite chain of basic connected sets in C, together with the setof singletons {x}.
S
E is a c-structure on X: let Ci ∈ E withT non-empty intersection. Let x, y ∈ i Ci
so that x ∈ C1 , y ∈ C2 , say, and z ∈ i Ci . There then exist chains joining x to z
in C1 and z S
to y in C2 , and hence their concatenation joins x to y in C1 ∪ C2 . It
follows that i Ci ∈ E.
Moreover every basic connected set B satisfies this condition by taking the constant chain i 7→ B, implying B ⊆ E. Also, E ⊆ D for any connective structure
D ⊇ B since chains are connected. E must therefore equal the c-structure generated
by B.
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1.8. Products.
Theorem 1.6. There is a categorical product of c-spaces.
Proof. Let X be a set and (Xi , Ci ) connective spaces for all i ∈ I. Let fi : X → Xi
be a set of maps indexed by I. We define a c-structure C on X as follows: C ∈ C
if, and only T
if, fi (C) ∈ Ci for all i ∈ I. Then C is indeed a c-structure, for if
D ⊆ C and TD 6= ∅ Tthen we have that S
fi (A) ∈ S
Ci for all A ∈ D and i ∈ I, so
that ∅ 6= fi ( SD) ⊆ fi (D). Thus, fi ( D) = fi (D) ∈ Ci for all i ∈ I andconsequently, D ∈ C. Evidently, {x} ∈ C since fi {x} ∈ Ci for all i ∈ I.
We next show that C is an initial c-structure on X, that is, for any connective
space (Y, D), a map g : Y → X is c-continuous if, and only if, fi ◦ g : Y → Xi is
c-continuous for every i ∈ I. Indeed, if g : Y → X is c-continuous then evidently
fi ◦ g : Y → X is c-continuous for every i ∈ I. Conversely, if fi ◦ g : Y → Xi
is c-continuous for every i ∈ I then for any A ∈ D and any i ∈ I we have thatfi ◦ g(A) ∈ Ci so that g(A) ∈ C and hence, g is c-continuous. It is not difficult to
see that this initial c-structure is unique (just take g = id : (X, C1 ) → (X, C2 ) andvice versa, if both C1 and C2 where initial c-structures with respect to fi : X → Xi ,i ∈ I).
One can see that this initial c-structure is the coarsest c-structure on X suchthat fi is c-continuous for every i ∈ I.
We now apply the above to the product connective space
Q of a family of c-spaces
Q(Xi , Ci ), i ∈ I. One defines the product c-structure C = i∈I Ci on X = i∈I Xi
as the initial c-structure with respect to the projections πi : X → Xi . Thus, A ∈ C
if, and only if, πi (A) ∈ Ci for all i ∈ I.

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Thus, if (Y, D) is a c-space then f : Y → X is c-continuous if, and only if,
πi ◦ f : Y → Xi is c-continuous for every i ∈ I.
We next see that the product as defined above is categorical. Consider (X, πi , i ∈I) where πi : X → (Xi , Ci ) are the projections. Let fi : (Y, D) → (Xi , Ci ), i ∈ I be acollection of c-continuous maps. We need to find a c-continuous map f : (Y, D) →(X, C) such that πi ◦ f = fi . Such a map can be defiined by f (y) = (fi (y))i∈I ∈ X.
Evidently we have πi ◦ f = fi , so that for any A ∈ D, πi ◦ f (A) ∈ Ci for every i ∈ I
and hence f (A) ∈ C. This shows that f is c-continuous and that the product is
categorical.
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1.9. Connective Closure.
Definition 1.7. A set is called t-closed when it contains its touching points,t(F ) = F . The connective closure of a set is defined as the smallest t-closed set
containing it,\Ā := {F ⊆ X : t(F ) = F and A ⊆ F }.
For example, X and the ∅ are t-closed, and these are the only t-closed sets in a
totally connected space. A space is totally disconnected if, and only if, every set ist-closed.
For graphs, a subset is t-closed if, and only if, it is a union of components of thegraph.
Proposition 1.7. If f : X → Y is c-continuous and(i) x touches A then f (x) touches f A;(ii) F is t-closed in Y then f −1 F is t-closed in X;
Proof. (i) There is a non-empty subset C ⊆ A such that {x} ∪ C is connected.
Therefore {f (x)} ∪ f C is connected and f C ⊆ f A is non-empty.
(ii) follows from (i).
¤Proposition 1.8.
(i) A ⊆ t(A) ⊆ Ā; t(A) = A ⇐⇒ Ā = A;(ii) the intersection of t-closed sets is t-closed;(iii) Ā = Ā;(iv) A ⊆ B =⇒ Ā ⊆ B̄;SS(v) i Āi = i Ai ;(vi) f Ā ⊆ f A.
Proof. To prove (i) let F ⊇ A be t-closed; then t(A) ⊆ t(F ) = F and hencet(A) ⊆ Ā. Moreover when a set A is t-closed, Ā = A. Part (ii) follows fromproposition
T 1.1(vi), andT this in turnS implies (iii). For (iv) and (v) note that A ⊆
B =⇒
F
⊆
F
,
and
A⊆F
B⊆F
i Ai ⊆ F =⇒ Ai ⊆ F and use (i) and (iv).
Also with the same reasoning,Tif F is t-closed and contains f A then f −1 F is t-closed
and contains A, so that Ā ⊆ F f −1 F , which proves (vi).
¤Corollary 1.9. The connective closure of a set A in a t-closed subspace B is thatinduced by the closure in X i.e. ĀB = Ā ∩ B.

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Note that A ∪ B 6= Ā ∪ B̄ in general, even for topological spaces e.g. R+ =Q+ ∪ Q0+ but 0 ∈ R+ and 0 6∈ Q+ ∪ Q0 + . In general Ā includes not just thetouching points of A but also the touching points of t(A) etc.
Proposition 1.10.
(i) A connected =⇒ t(A) connected;(ii) A connected =⇒ Ā connected;(iii) the components of X are t-closed, t-open and non-touching;(iv) for A, B non-empty connected sets, Ā ∩ B̄ 6= ∅ ⇐⇒ Ā ∪ B̄ is connected.
(v) for A, B connected, t(A ∪ B) = t(A) ∪ t(B), and A ∪ B = Ā ∪ B̄.
Proof. (i) For each point x touching A, the set A ∪ {x} is connected and intersects
the connected set A. So their union t(A) is also connected by axiom (i).
(iii) Let C be a component. If x touches X − C then {x} ∪ B is connected forsome non-empty set B ⊆ X − C. But then {x} ∪ B ⊆ C (since components are
maximally connected), unless x ∈ X − C. The rest was proved in 1.2(ii) Let B be the component of A in Ā. Therefore, B is t-closed in Ā, and hence
in X. This forces Ā = B which is connected.
(iv) is a restatement that two connected sets have a connected union precisely
when they touch.
(v) Let x touch A ∪ B. Then {x} ∪ A ∪ B or {x} ∪ A or {x} ∪ B is connected.
In any case, by (1), {x} ∪ A or {x} ∪ B is connected, which proves the first part.
Next, for A, B connected, t(Ā ∪ B̄) = t(Ā) ∪ t(B̄) = Ā ∪ B̄; this, combined withproposition 1.8(v), proves the second part.
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Note that if A is connected and A ⊆ B ⊆ Ā then B need not be connected. For
example, in graphs, let A be a single vertex; then Ā is its component, and may
contain several disconnected subgraphs that include A.
1.9.1. Associated Topologies. Every connective space gives rise to at least two
topologies:• A topology generated by the t-closed sets; in this case the closed sets would
be intersections of finite unions of t-closed sets, and will be called c-closedsets.
• A weaker topology generated by the t-closed connected sets; the closed sets
would be intersections of finite unions of t-closed connected sets, and will
be called s-closed sets.
e and an s-closure A
b of a set A, with c-closureA ⊆Hence we get a c-closure AbĀ ⊆ A.
In general, these topologies may not be compatible with the connective structure.
For example for an infinite totally disconnected space, the associated s-topology
is the cofinite one, with the s-closed sets being the finite subsets, resulting in thecofinite connective space. One consequence is that c-continuous maps need not
be continuous relative to either of these topologies, although catenomorphisms arenecessarily homeomorphisms.

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9

For graphs both these topologies are equal to the topology generated by thecomponents.
1.9.2. Other Constructs. One can define the t-interior, t-boundary, t-compactness
analogously to the topological definitions, replacing ‘open’ and ‘closed’ by ‘t-open’and ‘t-closed’; and similarly for c-interior and s-interior etc. Several parallel statements are true e.g. every set induces a partition of X into its c-interior, c-exteriorand c-boundary; c-continuous maps preserve t-compact sets; t-closed subsets of
t-compact sets are t-compact. Note however that for the real line at least, thet-compact sets are the countable subsets (consider the c-open cover consisting of
the cosets of the rationals.)
Analogues of the separation axioms are also interesting, in particular the analogue of the topological T1 axiom, here termed
Axiom C1 : Distinct points are disconnected.
This is equivalent to saying that distinct points do not touch or that {x} = {x}or that finite sets are c-closed. A totally disconnected space is obviously C1 .
1.10. Pathconnectedness. Every connective structure has two important substructures:(a) The graph substructure of edge-connected sets, that is, sets such that any
two elements have a path of edges connecting them. Equivalently, a set A isedge-connected when for any two points a, b ∈ A, there is a c-continuous function
f : N → A which covers a and b. Here N is taken to be the connective spaceconsisting of the natural numbers together with all its intervals [m, n] (plus ∅ andN).
(b) The substructure of path-connected sets, namely those sets A such that forany two points a, b ∈ A, there is a c-continuous function f : R → A which covers
a and b.
Proposition 1.11. The path-connected structure and the graph structure are connectologies.
Proof. Axiom (i). Let Ci be path-connected sets in X with a common point z ∈Ci , ∀i. Then for any two points in their union, say x ∈ C0 , y ∈ C1 we get ac-continuous path from x to z in C0 and from z to y in C1 ; joining these paths
gives the desired c-continuous path from x to y in C0 ∪ C1 .
Axiom (ii) is trivially true using the constant paths. For axiom (iii), consider
two path-connected sets A and B, whose union is also path-connected. If A and
B are not disjoint, the proof is immediate; so assume they are disjoint. Pick any
two points x ∈ A and y ∈ B; there is a c-continuous path f from x to y in A ∪ B.
Consider the non-empty set W = {t : f (t) ∈ A}; W has an upperbound sincef (β) = y 6∈ A, and hence a least upperbound α, with f (α) = z. Now B ∪ {z}is path-connected by f : [α, β] → B which joins z to y, and hence to all otherpoints of B. If z ∈ A then the assertion is proved. If instead z ∈ B, then takea sequence an → α with an ∈ A, and c-continuous paths φn : [an , an+1 ) → A
with φn+1 (an ) = φn (an+1 ). Replace the original path by φ : [0, α) → A defined by

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φ(x) = φn (x) for x ∈ [an , an+1 ), still c-continuous. Then φ joins x to z in A, andA ∪ {z} is path-connected.
Axiom (iv). Let M be a path-component of A in X − B. Then M must containany path-connected sets Ci wholly. Let x ∈ B and y ∈ X − M . Then there is ac-continuous path joining x to y in X. The set W = {t : f [t, 1] ⊆ X − M − B}
has a lower-bound of 0, hence a greatest lowerbound α, with f (α) 6∈ M . Hencef (α) ∈ B, implying that x is joined to f (α) to y inside X − M . Hence X − M is
path-connected.
The proof for edge-connectedness is similar and simpler.
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1.11. Further Work. The study of those properties of connective spaces that arepreserved by catenomorphisms is still uncharted. The following is a short sample
list of possible areas of research:
Regular connective spaces are those for which all the rooted connective structures are catenomorphic.
Transitive connective spaces are those such that for any two points x, y ∈ X
there is an automorphism of X that sends x to y.
A connective space X is called n-connected when there are n points in X
which disconnect X when removed. X is called homogeneously n-connected whenremoving any n points disconnects it. For example, the real line is homogeneously
1-connected. A totally connected space is the only space which remains connected
when any subset is removed.
The dimension of a connected space may be defined inductively as follows: X
has dimension 0 when it is a singleton; it has dimension n + 1 when for X − A to
be disconnected with A a connected subset, A must be at least n-dimensional.
One can imagine extending the definitions of homology classes (using
c-continuous paths), simply-connected spaces, Euler number etc.
1.11.1. Open Problems.
(i) Suppose the connective structure of X − {x} is given for all x up to
catenomorphism, is that of X uniquely reconstructible? (This is called
the reconstruction conjecture in graph theory, and is currently unproved.)
Disconnected spaces are obviously uniquely reconstructible.
(ii) Which connective spaces are embeddable in a given space X? This is open
even for graphs.
(iii) Which connective spaces are topologisable (with a compatible topology)?
It can be shown that locally connected T3 spaces are topologisable using
the s-topology.
2. Topological Spaces
It is a standard theorem in topological spaces that the addition of a limit point
to a connected set, leaves it connected; in our terminology this becomes,
Proposition 2.1. A limit point of a connected set is a touching point; t-closed
connected sets are closed.

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The converse is false in general e.g. one vertex in the graph K2 has a touchingvertex, but no limit point.
As a corollary, the s-topology is weaker than the topology of the space (s-closed
sets are closed).
Proposition 2.2. Every topological space has a T0 topology with the same connected sets.
Proof. Suppose we’re given a topological space with topology T . Consider theequivalence relation x ∼ y defined by ∀U ∈ T , x ∈ U ⇐⇒ y ∈ U . It induces
a partition on X; well-order the equivalence classes. Let S be generated from T
together with the open sets U = V − {x0 , . . . , xn } for x0 , . . . in an equivalence class.
If x 6∼ y then x can be separated from y or vice-versa; if x ∼ y, they belong to an
equivalence class, and one of the additional open sets can separate them. Hence S
is T0 .
Disconnected sets remain disconnected under S because this topology is finer.
Now let A be disconnected in S, using open sets U1 and U2 . There cannot be an
equivalence class part of which intersects U1 ∩ A and also U2 ∩ A, else we would
get x ∼ y with x ∈ U1 and y ∈ U2 , and hence x ∈ U2 . Equivalence classes must
therefore lie completely in U1 or completely in U2 or in neither. Hence U1 and U2
are open sets in T , and A is disconnected in T .
¤Proposition 2.3. For T1 topological spaces,(i) touching points are limit points,(ii) the t-closure of a set is a subset of its topological closure,(iii) closed sets are t-closed, and open sets are t-open,(iv) when A is connected, t(A) = Ā = Ã and it is t-closed ⇐⇒ it is closed.
Proof. In T1 topological spaces, a point and a distinct closed set are disconnected.
This implies that a point x in the exterior of a set A cannot touch it. Hence
touching points are limit points (but not conversely in general), and closed sets are
t-closed; also open sets are t-open. Therefore the intersection of all the t-closed setscontaining A, i.e Ā, is contained in the intersection of all the closed sets containing
A, i.e. its topological closure. (iv) follows from the previous proposition.
¤
It follows that the c-topology is stronger than the given topology (closed sets are
t-closed, hence c-closed).
Note: The converses are in general false e.g. the set {1/n : n ∈ N} in R is
t-closed but not closed.
Proposition 2.4. Let X and Y be catenomorphic topological spaces. Then X isT1 ⇐⇒ Y is T1 .
Proof. Let φ : X → Y be a catenomorphism. Suppose X is T1 , and consider
any two distinct points in Y . Then they map to distinct points in X, and are
disconnected in X, hence in Y .
¤However, if X is T3 then Y need not be T3 . For example, consider R with the
topology generated by the standard open intervals together with (−1, 1)−{1/n}; it12

J. MUSCAT AND D. BUHAGIAR

is not T3 . As it is finer than the standard topology, non-intervals are disconnected.
Intervals however are connected since let U , V be a disconnection; take x ∈ U ,z ∈ V , let y = sup U ∩ [x, z]; then y 6∈ U since open sets do not include theirendpoints in this topology, and, similarly, y 6∈ V . Thus it is catenomorphic to thestandard real line.
2.1. Topologizable Graphs. It has been shown [2] that two-colourable (i.e. bipartite) locally-finite graphs (including trees) are essentially uniquely topologisableby taking white vertices to be open and black vertices to be closed.
T
More generally, it is known [1, 8] that T0 spaces with the property that i Ui is
open for any open sets Ui , are in 1-1 correspondence with the partial orders on thevertices. Since this property holds for topologies on finite sets, we have
Proposition 2.5. A finite graph admits a compatible topology if, and only if, it
admits a partial order on its vertices, compatible with its edges, in the sense thattwo vertices are comparable if, and only if, they are identical or adjacent.
Proof. By proposition 2.2, we can assume that the compatible topology is T0 . Consider the relation x ≤ y, which is defined to hold when every open set that includes
y includes x as well. It is easy to show reflexivity and transitivity, while antisymmetry follows from the T0 axiom. Non-comparable vertices are, by definition,
disconnected and vice-versa, distinct non-adjacent vertices are disconnected, hence
non-comparable.
Conversely, given a compatible partial order, let T be the topology generated
from the closed sets Fa := {x : x ≤ a}. Then non-comparable vertices a, b are
disconnected by the closed sets Fa and Fb . Now let a < b be distinct comparable
vertices, and let F be anySclosed
T set containing b; then there are a finite numberof vertices cij with F = i j Fcij . But b ∈ F implies ∃i ∀j b ≤ cij , and hencea ∈ F ; thus every closed set that contains b contains a and {a, b} is connected.
Thus comparable vertices are adjacent, and the given topology is compatible withthe graph structure.
¤
Bipartite graphs have an obvious compatible partial order.
2.2. Additional Structures.
Definition 2.1. A connective group is a group G with a connective structuresuch that the maps (g, h) 7→ gh and g 7→ g −1 are c-continuous.
It follows that right/left multiplication and inversion are catenomorphisms. Thisimplies,
Proposition 2.6. If A, B are connected sets then gA, Ag, A−1 and AB are connected.
The connective structure rooted at e determines the connective structure bytranslation. In particular a group homomorphism is c-continuous when it is ccontinuous at e.

CONNECTIVE SPACES

13

Proposition 2.7. The component of e is catenomorphic to any other component,
and is a normal subgroup, Ge . G/Ge is then a totally disconnected group.
Proof. The map g : [e] → [g] defined by h 7→ gh is the required catenomorphism;g −1 Cg is connected for any g ∈ G and any connected set C, and fixes e, so thatg −1 Ge g ⊆ Ge .
¤Conversely, for any normal subgroup N of G, there is a connective space with
Ge = N .
For a finite “group-graph” acting c-continuously on itself, if {e, a} is an edge,
then so are {e, g −1 ag} and {e, g −1 a−1 g} for any g ∈ G. This means that theidentity is adjacent to whole conjugacy classes and their inverses; and knowledgeof which conjugacy classes is sufficient to generate the graph, since if the edge{e, a} is mapped under translations to the edge {hg, hag} with one vertex being e,then there are two possibilities: either hg = e and the edge is in fact {e, g −1 ag} or
hag = e and the edge is {g −1 a−1 g, e}.
Definition 2.2. A connective vector space is a vector space over the real numbers (more generally over a connected field) with a connective structure such that
addition and scalar multiplication are c-continuous.
Proposition 2.8. If A and B are connected then so is A + B; if I ⊆ R is aninterval and A ⊆ X connected, then IA is connected.
In particular, x + A, λA, line segments [x, y], linear subspaces, convex sets, star
shapes and X itself are connected.
References[1] G. Birkhoff, Lattice Theory, Amer. Math. Soc. Colloq. Pub. vol. 25 (third edition), New York,1967.
[2] A. Bretto and A. Faisant, Topologies on bipartite graphs, Rend. del Sem. Mat. di Messina
Ser.II, Supp. al n.8 (2002), 11–18.
[3] F. Hausdorff, Grundzüge der Mengenlehre, Leipzig, 1914.
[4] C. Jordan, Cours d’analyse, I, Paris, 1893.
[5] B. Knaster and K. Kuratowski, Sur les ensembles connexes, Fund. Math. 2 (1921), 206–256.
[6] K. Kuratowski, Topology, vol. II, New York, 1968.
[7] N. J. Lennes, Curves in non-metrical analysis situs with an application in the calculus ofvariations, Amer. Journ. of Math. 33 (1911), 287–326.
[8] A. K. Steiner, The lattice of topologies: Structure and complementation, Trans. Amer. Soc.
122 (1966), 379–397.
Joseph Muscat, Mathematics Department, University of Malta
E-mail address: joseph.muscat@um.edu.mt
David Buhagiar, Mathematics Department, University of Malta
E-mail address: david.buhagiar@um.edu.mt