Existence of selections and disconnectedness properties for the hyperspace of an ultrametric space

We characterize the separable complete ultrametric spaces whose Wijsman hyperspace admits a continuous selection; such an investigation is closely connected to a similar result of V. Gutev about the Ball hyperspace. The characterization may be obtained in terms of a suitable property either of the base space (X, d) (condition (#)) or of the Wijsman hyperspace itself (total disconnectedness). We also give a necessary and sufficient condition for the zero-dimensionality of the Wijsman hyperspace of a (separable) ultrametric space, and we provide an example where such a hyperspace turns out to be connected. © 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.