Escaping sequences characterize proper maps

complex-analysisgeneral-topology

According to wiki a proper map $f: X \to Y$ can be characerized in therms of "escaping sequences": we say an infinite sequence of points $\{ p_i \}_i $ in a topological space $X$ escapes to infinity if, for every compact set $S \subset X$ only finitely many points $p_i$ are in S.

Then a continuous map $f : X \to Y$ is proper if and only if for every sequence of points $\{ p_i \}$ that escapes to infinity in $X$, the sequence $\{ f ( p_i ) \}$ escapes to infinity in $Y$.

But in Rudin's book "Function Theory
in the Unit Ball of $\mathbb{C}$" on page 300 is claimed that: The identity map, applied to the open unit disc (with raddius $1$) $U \subset \mathbb{C}$, is a proper map of $U$ into $U$, but is not proper as a map of $U$
into $\mathbb{C}$. The application of criterion above fails: chose a sequence $\{ p_i \}$ in unit disc which start at $p_0=0$ and konverges to a point of the boundary of the unit disc, e.g. $1$. That's a escaping sequences. But in $\mathbb{C}$ this sequence is contained for example in closed unit disc of radius $2$. A contradiction?

Best Answer

No, there’s no contradiction. It says that the identity is not a proper map of $U$ into $\mathbb C$, and that’s also what the criterion says: As you write, the sequence $p_i=1-\frac1i$ escapes to infinity in $U$, but $f(p_i)=1-\frac1i$ doesn’t escape to infinity in $\mathbb C$, so according to the criterion the map is indeed not proper.

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