m-Contiguity Distance

Abstract

In this paper, we systematically develop the $m$-contiguity distance between simplicial maps as a discrete approximation framework for homotopical complexity in the category of simplicial complexes. We construct an increasing sequence of invariants that approximate the contiguity distance from below. We prove that $m$-contiguity distance is invariant under strong homotopy equivalence and that $m$-contiguity distance coincides with the usual contiguity distance provided that the dimension of the domain simplicial complex is $m$. The fundamental properties of $m$-contiguity distance are established, including its behaviour under barycentric subdivision, under compositions, and a categorical poduct inequality. As applications of this theory, we define the $m$-simplicial Lusternik-Schnirelmann category and the $m$-discrete topological complexity, proving that each arises naturally as a special case of $m$-contiguity distance. We also showed that $SD_1(\varphi,\psi)=SD(\varphi,\psi)$ under some conditions related to aspherical spaces.