Lemma 5.22.4. Let $X$ be a profinite space. Every open covering of $X$ has a refinement by a finite covering $X = \coprod U_ i$ with $U_ i$ open and closed.

Proof. Write $X = \mathop{\mathrm{lim}}\nolimits X_ i$ as a limit of an inverse system of finite discrete spaces over a directed set $I$ (Lemma 5.22.2). Denote $f_ i : X \to X_ i$ the projection. For every point $x = (x_ i) \in X$ a fundamental system of open neighbourhoods is the collection $f_ i^{-1}(\{ x_ i\} )$. Thus, as $X$ is quasi-compact, we may assume we have an open covering

$X = f_{i_1}^{-1}(\{ x_{i_1}\} ) \cup \ldots \cup f_{i_ n}^{-1}(\{ x_{i_ n}\} )$

Choose $i \in I$ with $i \geq i_ j$ for $j = 1, \ldots , n$ (this is possible as $I$ is a directed set). Then we see that the covering

$X = \coprod \nolimits _{t \in X_ i} f_ i^{-1}(\{ t\} )$

refines the given covering and is of the desired form. $\square$

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