Base (topology)

In mathematics, a base (or basis) B for a topological space X with topology T is a collection of open sets in T such that every open set
in T can be written as a union of elements of B.[1][2][note 1] We say that the base generates the topology T. Bases are useful because
many properties of topologies can be reduced to statements about a base generating that topology, and because many topologies are
most easily defined in terms of a base which generates them.

Contents
1 Definition and basic properties
2 Objects defined in terms of bases
3 Theorems
4 Base for the closed sets
5 Weight and character
5.1 Increasing chains of open sets
6 See also
7 Notes
8 References

Definition and basic properties

A base is a collection B of subsets of X satisfying these two properties:

1. The base elements cover X.

2. Let B1, B2 be base elements and letI be their intersection. Then for eachx in I, there is a base elementB3
containing x and contained in I.
An equivalent property is: any finite intersection[note 2] of elements of B can be written as a union of elements ofB.

If a collection B of subsets of X fails to satisfy these properties, then it is not a base for any topology on X. (It is a subbase, however,
as is any collection of subsets of X.) Conversely, if B satisfies these properties, then there is a unique topology on X for which B is a
base; it is called the topology generated by B. (This topology is the intersection of all topologies on X containing B.) This is a very
common way of defining topologies. A sufficient but not necessary condition for B to generate a topology on X is that B is closed
under intersections; then we can always takeB3 = I above.

For example, the collection of allopen intervals in the real line forms a base for a topology on the real line because the intersection of
any two open intervals is itself an open interval or empty
. In fact they are a base for the standard topology on thereal numbers.

However, a base is not unique. Many bases, even of different sizes, may generate the same topology. For example, the open intervals
with rational endpoints are also a base for the standard real topology, as are the open intervals with irrational endpoints, but these two
sets are completely disjoint and both properly contained in the base of all open intervals. In contrast to a basis of a vector space in
linear algebra, a base need not be maximal; indeed, the only maximal base is the topology itself. In fact, any open set generated by a
base may be safely added to the base without changing the topology. The smallest possible cardinality of a base is called the weight
of the topological space.
An example of a collection of open sets which is not a base is the set S of all semi-infinite intervals of the forms (, a) and (a, ),
where a is a real number. Then S is not a base for any topology on R. To show this, suppose it were. Then, for example, (, 1) and
(0, ) would be in the topology generated by S, being unions of a single base element, and so their intersection (0,1) would be as
well. But (0, 1) clearly cannot be written as a union of elements of S. Using the alternate definition, the second property fails, since
no base element can "fit" inside this intersection.

Given a base for a topology, in order to prove convergence of a net or sequence it is sufficient to prove that it is eventually in every
set in the base which contains the putative limit.

Objects defined in terms of bases

The order topology is usually defined as the topology generated by a collection of open-interval-like sets.
The metric topology is usually defined as the topology generated by a collection ofopen balls.
A second-countable spaceis one that has a countable base.
The discrete topology has the singletons as a base.
The profinite topology on a group is defined by taking the collection of all normal subgroups of finite index as a basis
of open neighborhoods of the identity.

Theorems
For each point x in an open set U, there is a base element containingx and contained in U.
A topology T2 is finer than a topology T1 if and only if for each x and each base elementB of T1 containing x, there is
a base element of T2 containing x and contained in B.
If B1,B2,...,Bn are bases for the topologiesT1,T2,...,Tn, then the set product B1 B2 ... Bn is a base for the
product topology T1 T2 ... Tn. In the case of an infinite product, this still applies, except that all but finitely many
of the base elements must be the entire space.
Let B be a base for X and let Y be a subspace of X. Then if we intersect each element ofB with Y, the resulting
collection of sets is a base for the subspaceY.
If a function f:X Y maps every base element ofX into an open set of Y, it is an open map. Similarly, if every
preimage of a base element ofY is open in X, then f is continuous.
A collection of subsets ofX is a topology on X if and only if it generates itself.
B is a basis for a topological spaceX if and only if the subcollection of elements ofB which contain x form a local
base at x, for any point x of X.

Base for the closed sets

Closed sets are equally adept at describing the topology of a space. There is, therefore, a dual notion of a base for the closed sets of a
topological space. Given a topological spaceX, a family of closed setsF forms a base for the closed sets if and only if for each closed
set A and each point x not in A there exists an element ofF containing A but not containing x.

It is easy to check that F is a base for the closed sets of X if and only if the family of complements of members of F is a base for the
open sets of X.

Let F be a base for the closed sets ofX. Then

1. F =
2. For each F1 and F2 in F the union F1 F2 is the intersection of some subfamily ofF (i.e. for any x not in F1 or F2
there is an F3 in F containing F1 F2 and not containing x).
Any collection of subsets of a set X satisfying these properties forms a base for the closed sets of a topology on X. The closed sets of
this topology are precisely the intersections of members ofF.

In some cases it is more convenient to use a base for the closed sets rather than the open ones. For example, a space is completely
regular if and only if the zero sets form a base for the closed sets. Given any topological space X, the zero sets form the base for the
closed sets of some topology onX. This topology will be the finest completely regular topology on X coarser than the original one. In
a similar vein, the Zariski topology on An is defined by taking the zero sets of polynomial functions as a base for the closed sets.

Weight and character

We shall work with notions established in E
( ngelking 1977, p. 12, pp. 127-128).

Fix X a topological space. We define the weight, w(X), as the minimum cardinality of a basis; we define the network weight, nw(X),
as the minimum cardinality of a network; the character of a point, , as the minimum cardinality of a neighbourhood basis
for x in X; and the character of X to be

Here, a network is a family of sets, for which, for all points x and open neighbourhoods U containing x, there exists B in for
which x B U.

The point of computing the character and weight is useful to be able to tell what sort of bases and local bases can exist. We have
following facts:

nw(X) w(X).
if X is discrete, then w(X) = nw(X) = |X|.
if X is Hausdorff, then nw(X) is finite iff X is finite discrete.
if B a basis of X then there is a basis of size .
if N a neighbourhood basis forx in X then there is a neighbourhood basis of size .
if f : X Y is a continuous surjection, thennw(Y) w(X). (Simply consider theY-network
for each basis B of X.)
if is Hausdorff, then there exists a weaker Hausdorff topology so that . So
a fortiori, if X is also compact, then such topologies coincide and hence we have, combined with the first fact,
nw(X)
= w(X).
if f : X Y a continuous surjective map from a compact metrisable space to an Hausdorff space, then Y is compact
metrisable.
The last fact follows from f(X) being compact Hausdorff, and hence (since compact
metrisable spaces are necessarily second countable); as well as the fact that compact Hausdorff spaces are metrisable exactly in case
they are second countable. (An application of this, for instance, is that every path in an Hausdorf
f space is compact metrisable.)

Increasing chains of open sets

Using the above notation, suppose that w(X) some infinite cardinal. Then there does not exist a strictly increasing sequence of
+.
open sets (equivalently strictly decreasing sequence of closed sets) of length

To see this (without the axiom of choice), fix

as a basis of open sets. And supposeper contra, that

were a strictly increasing sequence of open sets. This means

For

we may use the basis to find some U with x in U V. In this way we may well-define a map, f : + mapping each to the
least for which U V and meets

This map is injective, otherwise there would be < with f() = f() = , which would further implyU V but also meets

which is a contradiction. But this would go to show that+ , a contradiction.

See also
Subbase
Gluing axiom
Esenin-Volpin's theorem

Notes
1. We are using a convention that the union of empty collection of sets is the empty set.
2. We are using a convention that the empty intersection of subsets ofX is considered finite and is equal toX.

References
1. Merrifield, Richard E.; Simmons, Howard E. (1989). Topological Methods in Chemistry(http://www.wiley.com/WileyC
DA/WileyTitle/productCd-0471838179.html). New York: John Wiley & Sons. p. 16.ISBN 0-471-83817-9. Retrieved
27 July 2012. "Definition. A collection B of subsets of a topological space(X,T) is called a basis for T if every open
set can be expressed as a union of members ofB."
2. Armstrong, M. A. (1983).Basic Topology (https://www.springer.com/mathematics/geometry/book/978-0-387-90839-
7). Springer. p. 30. ISBN 0-387-90839-0. Retrieved 13 June 2013. "Suppose we have a topology on a setX, and a
collection of open sets such that every open set is a union of members of . Then is called a base for the
topology..."

Arkhangelskij, A.V.; Ponomarev, V.I. (1984). Fundamentals of general topology: problems and exercises.
Mathematics and Its Applications.13. Translated from the Russian by V. K. Jain. Dordrecht: D. Reidel Publishing.
Zbl 0568.54001.
Engelking, Ryszard (1977). General Topology. Monografie Matematyczne.60. Warsaw: PWN. Zbl 0373.54002.
James Munkres (1975) Topology: a First Course. Prentice-Hall.
Willard, Stephen (1970)General Topology. Addison-Wesley. Reprinted 2004, Dover Publications.

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