Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2009 / iii / Paper 5 / 1 / Solution

A topological group is a group equipped with a topology for which multiplication $G\times G\to G$ and inversion $G\to G$ are continuous maps. The product uses the product topology. Translation and inversion are therefore homeomorphisms. Hausdorffness is sometimes included in the definition; the two open-subgroup arguments below do not require it.

For the inverse system, take a directed set $I$, topological spaces $X_i$, and continuous maps $f_{ij}:X_j\to X_i$ for $i\le j$, with $f_{ii}=\mathrm{id}$ and $f_{ik}=f_{ij}{f}_{jk}$. An inverse limit is a space $X$ with compatible continuous maps ${\pi }_i:X\to X_i$ such that every compatible family $q_i:Y\to X_i$ factors uniquely as $q_i={\pi }_{i}q$ through a continuous map $q:Y\to X$. Existence follows from the concrete constructionwith the subspace topology of the product topology. The only possible map $q$ is $q(y)=(q_i(y){)}_i$. Compatibility puts its image in $X$, and coordinatewise continuity makes it continuous. This proves the universal property of an inverse limit, even when $X$ is empty. Given two inverse limits, their universal properties supply maps each way; the composites have the same coordinates as the identity, so uniqueness makes them identities. The inverse limit exists and is unique up to the unique homeomorphism respecting its projections.

A profinite group can be defined as an inverse limit of finite discrete groups, or as a compact Hausdorff space that is a totally disconnected space, equipped with continuous group operations. For the first implication, use the Tychonoff theorem. The compatibility equalities define a closed subgroup of the compact Hausdorff product. Two distinct points are distinguished by a finite discrete coordinate, so no connected subset contains both. Consequently the inverse limit is a compact Hausdorff totally disconnected topological group.

For the converse, use the topological result that a compact Hausdorff totally disconnected space has a basis of clopen sets. Choose a clopen set $U$ containing $1$ inside any specified identity neighbourhood. For each $u\in U$, continuity gives an identity neighbourhood $V_u$ and an open neighbourhood $W_u$ of $u$ with $V_u{W}_u\subseteq U$. Finitely many $W_u$ cover the compact set $U$. Intersect their $V_u$ and its inverse to obtain a symmetric identity neighbourhood $V$ with $VU\subseteq U$. Symmetry also gives $V^{-1}U\subseteq U$, and hence $vU=U$ for every $v\in V$. The setis a subgroup containing $V$, so it is open. It is contained in $U$, since $1\in U$ and $h=h\cdot 1\in hU=U$. By part (ii), $H$ has finite index. Its normal core of a subgroup is a finite intersection of conjugates of $H$, hence an open normal subgroup $N$ contained in $U$. This proves the open normal subgroup basis of a profinite group.

The natural group homomorphismis injective because the intersection of these $N$ is $\{1\}$. For a compatible family of cosets, any finitely many have nonempty intersection: their intersection subgroup is another indexing subgroup, and its prescribed coset lies in each. The finite intersection property and compactness give a point belonging to all the cosets, proving surjectivity. Finally a continuous bijection from a compact space to a Hausdorff space is a homeomorphism. The two definitions of profinite group are equivalent.