$\omega_1$-strongly compact cardinals and normality

Abstract

We present more applications of the recently introduced -strongly compact cardinals in the context of either consistency or reflection results in General Topology, focusing on issues related to normality. In particular, we show that such large cardinal notion provides a new upper bound for the consistency strength of the statement “All normal Moore spaces are metrizable” (NMSC). The proof uses random forcing, as in the original consistency proof of NMSC due to Nykos-Kunen-Solovay (see Fleissner [10]). We establish a compactness theorem for normality (i.e., reflection of non-normality) in the realm of first countable spaces, using the least -strongly compact cardinal, as well as two more similar compactness results on related topological properties. We finish the paper by combining the techniques of reflection and forcing to show that our new upper bound for the consistency strength of NMSC can be also obtained via Cohen forcing, using some arguments from Dow-Tall-Weiss.