Uniform space

In mathematics, and more specifically in topology, the notions of a uniform structure and a uniform space generalize the notions of a metrics (distance function) and a metric space respectively. As a human activity, the theory of uniform spaces is a chapter of general topology. From the formal point of view, the notion of a uniform space is a sibling of the notion of a topological space. While uniform spaces are significant for mathematical analysis, the notion seems less fundamental than that of a topological space. The notion of uniformity is auxiliary rather than an object to be studied for their own sake (specialists on uniform spaces may disagree though).

Historical remarks

The uniform ideas, in the context of finite dimensional real linear spaces (Euclidean spaces), appeared already in the work of the pioneers of the precision in mathematical analysis (A.-L. Cauchy, E. Heine).Next, George Cantor constructed the real line by metrically completing the field of rational numbers, while Frechet introduced metric spaces. Then Felix Hausdorff extended the Cantor's completion construction onto arbitrary metric spaces. General uniform spaces were introduced by Andre Weil in 1937. A different but equivalent construction was introduced and developed by Soviet topologists.

Definition

Given a set $\ X$, and $V,W\subseteq X\times X$, let's use the notation:

$\Delta _{X}\ :=\ \{(x,x):x\in X\}$

and

$V^{-1}\ :=\ \{(y,x):(x,y)\in V\}$

and

$W\circ \,V:=\{(x,z):\exists _{y\in X}\ \left((x,y)\in V,\ \ (y,z)\in W\right)\}$

An ordered pair $(X,{\mathcal {U}})$, consisting of a set $\ X$ and a family ${\mathcal {U}}$ of subsets of $\ X\times X$, is called a uniform space, and ${\mathcal {U}}$ is called a uniform structure in $\ X$, if the following five properties (axioms) hold:

1. ${\mathcal {U}}\neq \emptyset$
2. $\forall _{W\in {\mathcal {U}}}\ \Delta _{X}\subseteq W$
3. $\forall _{V\in {\mathcal {U}}}\ (V\subseteq W\subseteq X\times X\ \Rightarrow \ W\in {\mathcal {U}})$
4. $\forall _{V,W\in {\mathcal {U}}}\ V\cap W^{-1}\in {\mathcal {U}}$
5. $\forall _{W\in {\mathcal {U}}}\exists _{V\in {\mathcal {U}}}\ V\circ V\subseteq W$

Members of ${\mathcal {U}}$ are called entourages.

Two extreme examples

The single element family ${\mathcal {U}}:=\{X\times X\}$ is a uniform structure in $\ X$; it is called the weakest uniform structure (in $\ X$).

Family

${\mathcal {U}}\ :=\ \{W\subseteq X\times X:\Delta _{X}\subseteq W\}$

is a uniform structure in $\ X$ too; it is called the strongest uniform structure or the discrete uniform structure in $\ X$.

Metric spaces

Let $\ (X,d)$ be a metric space. Let

$B_{t}\ :=\ \{(x,y):d(x,y)<t\}$

for every real $\ t>0$.  Define now

${\mathcal {B}}_{d}\ :=\ \{B_{t}:t>0\}$

and finally:

${\mathcal {U}}_{d}\ :=\ \{W:\exists _{t}\ B_{t}\subseteq W\subseteq X\times X\}$

Then ${\mathcal {U}}_{d}$ is a uniform structure in $\ X$; it is called the uniform structure induced by metric $\ d$  (in $\ X$).