Asymptotic dimension of coarse spaces via maps to simplicial complexes

Abstract

It is well-known that a paracompact space $X$ is of covering dimension at most $n$ if and only if any map $f\colon X\to K$ from $X$ to a simplicial complex $K$ can be pushed into its $n$-skeleton $K^{(n)}$. We use the same idea to characterize asymptotic dimension in the coarse category of arbitrary coarse spaces. Continuity of the map $f$ is replaced by variation of $f$ on elements of a uniformly bounded cover. The same way one can generalize Property A of G.Yu to arbitrary coarse spaces.