On $p$-metric spaces and the $p$-Gromov-Hausdorff distance

Abstract

For each given $p\in[1,\infty]$ we investigate certain sub-family $\mathcal{M}_p$ of the collection of all compact metric spaces $\mathcal{M}$ which are characterized by the satisfaction of a strengthened form of the triangle inequality which encompasses, for example, the strong triangle inequality satisfied by ultrametric spaces. We identify a one parameter family of Gromov-Hausdorff like distances $\{d_{\mathrm{GH}}^{\scriptscriptstyle{(p)}}\}_{p\in[1,\infty]}$ on $\mathcal{M}_p$ and study geometric and topological properties of these distances as well as the stability of certain canonical projections $\mathfrak{S}_p:\mathcal{M}\rightarrow \mathcal{M}_p$. For the collection $\mathcal{U}$ of all compact ultrametric spaces, which corresponds to the case $p=\infty$ of the family $\mathcal{M}_p$, we explore a one parameter family of interleaving-type distances and reveal their relationship with $\{d_{\mathrm{GH}}^{\scriptscriptstyle{(p)}}\}_{p\in[1,\infty]}$.