Metric spaces and ultrafilters

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Assume $X_n$ are proper metric spaces and $X$ is a compact metric space.

Fix an non-principal ultrafilter $\omega$ on $\mathbb{N}$.

Assume we have a metric space $\mathbb{X}$ such that:

(1) $\mathbb{X}=X\coprod X_1\coprod X_2\coprod...$

(2) For each $j=1,2,3,...$ the canonical injection $i_j:X_j\rightarrow \mathbb{X}$ is distance preserving.

(3) The canonical injection $i:X\rightarrow \mathbb{X}$ is distance preserving.

(4) Each $X_1,X_2,...$, is open in $\mathbb{X}$.

(5) For each $x\in \mathbb{X}$, $dist(x,X_n)\rightarrow dist(x,X)$.

Let $x_1,x_2,....$ where $x_n\in X_n$. Why does it follow that the $\omega-limit$ of that sequence exists and is in $X$?

Comments:

  • Clearly $(x_n)_n$ is in $\mathbb{X}$.

  • It is not true that for large enough $n$, $x_n\in X$ (by disjointness).

  • In compact metric space, the $\omega$-limit for any sequence in $X$ exists and is unique.

  • Proper metric spaces are complete.

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This is not true. For a counterexample, consider $X_n=\mathbb{R}\times\{1/n\}$ and $X=[0,1]\times\{0\}$. Give $\mathbb{X}$ the following metric: the distance between two points is the shortest path between them where you are allowed to move horizontally in $\mathbb{R}^2$ and vertically only within $[0,1]\times\mathbb{R}$. So restricted to $[0,1]\times\mathbb{R}$ this is the $\ell^1$ metric, but for instance $d((2,1),(2,1/2))=5/2$ since you have to first move from $(2,1)$ to $(1,1)$ and then down to $(1,1/2)$ and then back out to $(2,1/2)$. This satisfies all your assumptions, but the sequence $x_n=(2,1/n)$ has no accumulation point in $\mathbb{X}$.

To make this true you need to strengthen (5) to say that $X_n$ converges to $X$ with respect to the Hausdorff metric of $\mathbb{X}$. With that assumption, for each $n$ we can pick a point $y_n\in X$ such that $d(x_n,y_n)\leq d_H(X_n,X)\to 0$ as $n\to\infty$. By compactness of $X$, $(y_n)$ converges to some $x\in X$ with respect to $\omega$, and then it follows that $(x_n)$ converges to $x$ with respect to $\omega$ as well.