Relatively minimal extensions of topological flows

The concept of relatively minimal (rel. min.) extensions of topological flows is introduced. Several generalizations of properties of minimal extensions are shown. In particular the following extensions are rel. min.: distal point transitive, inverse limits of rel. min., superpositions of rel. min. Any proximal extension of a flow Y with a dense set of almost periodic (a.p.) points contains a unique subflow which is a relatively minimal extension of Y. All proximal and distal factors of a point transitive flow with a dense set of a.p. points are rel. min. In the class of point transitive flows with a dense set of a.p. points, distal open extensions are disjoint from all proximal extensions. An example of a relatively minimal point transitive extension determined by a cocycle which is a coboundary in the measure-theoretic sense is given.