On a difference in topological nature between Cantor middle-third set and Sierpi\'nski carpet

Abstract

Both Cantor middle-third set and Sierpi\'nski carpet are self-similar, perfect, compact metric spaces. In spite of the similarity of the mathematical procedure of construction, there exists between them a fundamental difference in topological nature, and this difference affects the methods of construction of an interesting non-trivial quotient space of them. The totally disconnectedness (or, more generally, zero-dimensional) enables Cantor middle-third set to have a non-trivial quotient space which is self-similar. On the other hand, concerning Sierpi\'nski carpet, because of the connectedness of its structure, no non-trivial quotient space which is self-similar can be constructed by such an elegant procedure as that for Cantor middle-third set. Various topologically significant nature specific to Cantor middle-third set owe mainly to the totally disconnectedness of the set.