Every compact real tree is isometric to a real tree encoded by an excursion. One construction takes finite subtrees spanning successively finer finite nets, performs depth-first contour traversals of those subtrees, and chooses compatible time parameterizations. The contour functions have a uniformly convergent subsequence, and continuity of excursion coding in the Gromov-Hausdorff distance identifies the limiting coded tree with the original tree.
Multiplicity of a point in a real tree 2026-09-28
The multiplicity of in a real tree is the number of connected components of . A point of multiplicity one is a leaf, one of multiplicity two lies in the interior of an unbranched arc, and one of multiplicity at least three is a branch point.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2021 iii Paper 220 1 a Solution 2026-09-28
A compact real tree is a compact metric space such that any are joined by a unique arc, and that arc is isometric to . The multiplicity of a point in a real tree is the number of connected components of .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2021 iii Paper 220 1 c Solution 2026-09-28
The assertion is false. Join, at one common endpoint , a line segment of length for every positive integer , and use the intrinsic path metric. This is a real tree. It is totally bounded, because outside the first finitely many arms every point lies arbitrarily close to , and it is complete; hence it is compact. Removing leaves one connected component for every arm, so has countably infinite multiplicity of a point in a real tree.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2021 iii Paper 220 1 e Solution 2026-09-28
For nonempty compact subsets of a metric space , the Hausdorff distance isFor compact metric spaces , the Gromov-Hausdorff distance iswhere and range over isometric embeddings into a common metric space .
The collection of compact real trees is not compact in the Gromov-Hausdorff topology. Indeed, the intervals are compact real trees andTheir diameters are unbounded, so has no convergent subsequence in the Gromov-Hausdorff topology.