Sigma-fragmentability and the property SLD in spaces

We characterize two topological properties in Banach spaces of type C ( K ) , namely, being σ-fragmented by the norm metric and having a countable cover by sets of small local norm-diameter (briefly, the property norm-SLD). We apply our results to deduce that C p ( K ) is σ-fragmented by the norm metric when K belongs to a certain class of Rosenthal compacta as well as to characterize the property norm-SLD in C p ( K ) in case K is scattered.