An E-ring is a unital ring R such that every endomorphism of the underlying abelian group R^+ is multiplication by some ring-element. The existence of almost-free E-rings of cardinality greater than 2^{aleph_0} is undecidable in ZFC. While they exist in Goedel's universe, they do not exist in other models of set theory. For a regular cardinal aleph_1 <= lambda <= 2^{aleph_0} we construct E-rings of cardinality lambda in ZFC which have aleph_1-free additive structure. For lambda = aleph_1 we therefore obtain the existence of almost-free E-rings of cardinality aleph_1 in ZFC.
The connections between Whitehead groups and uniformization properties were investigated by the third author in [Sh:98]. In particular it was essentially shown there that there is a non-free Whitehead (respectively, aleph_1-coseparable) group of cardinality aleph_1 if and only if there is a ladder system on a stationary subset of omega_1 which satisfies 2-uniformization (respectively, omega-uniformization). These techniques allowed also the proof of various independence and consistency results about Whitehead groups, for example that it is consistent that there is a non-free Whitehead group of…
We show that it is consistent with ordinary set theory ZFC and the generalized continuum hypothesis that there exist two separable abelian groups of cardinality aleph_1 which are filtration equivalent and one is a Whitehead group but the other is not. This solves one of the open problems of Eklof and Mekler.
It is proved consistent with either CH or the negation of CH that there is an aleph_1-separable group of cardinality aleph_1 which does not have a coherent system of projections. It had previously been shown that it is consistent with not CH that every aleph_1-separable group of cardinality aleph_1 does have a coherent system of projections.
An abelian group is said to be aleph_1-free if all its countable subgroups are free. Our main result is: If R is a ring with R^+ free and |R|<lambda <= 2^{aleph_0}, then there exists an aleph_1-free abelian group G of cardinality lambda with End(G)=R . A corollary to this theorem is: Indecomposable aleph_1-free abelian groups of cardinality aleph_1 do exist.
The main result is Theorem: Let A be an R-algebra, mu, lambda be cardinals such that |A|<=mu=mu^{aleph_0}<lambda<=2^mu. If A is aleph_0-cotorsion-free or A is countably free, respectively, then there exists an aleph_0-cotorsion-free or a separable (reduced, torsion-free) R-module G respectively of cardinality |G|=lambda with End_RG=A oplus Fin G.
In the early 1970's S.Tennenbaum proved that all countable models of PA^- + forall_1-Th(N) are embeddable into the reduced product N^omega/F, where F is the cofinite filter. In this paper we show that if M is a model of PA^- + forall_1-Th(N), and |M|= aleph_1, then M is embeddable into N^omega/D, where D is any regular filter on omega.
Let P be a distinguished unary predicate and K= {M: M a model of cardinality aleph_n with P^M of cardinality aleph_0}. We prove that consistently for n=4, for some countable first order theory T we have: T has no model in K whereas every finite subset of T has a model in K. We then show how we prove it also for n=2, too.
In this paper, we address the question of when a non-free $\aleph_1$-free group $H$ can be be free in a transitive cardinality-preserving model extension. Using the $Γ$-invariant, denoted $Γ(H)$, we present a necessary and sufficient condition resolving this question for $\aleph_1$-free groups of cardinality $\aleph_1$. Specifically, if $Γ(H) = [\aleph_1]$, then $H$ will be free in a transitive model extension if and only if $\aleph_1$ collapses, while for $Γ(H) \ne [\aleph_1]$ there exist cardinality-preserving forcings that will add a basis to $H$. In particular, for $Γ(H) \neq [\aleph_1]$, …
We study abstract elementary classes (AECs) that, in $\aleph_0$, have amalgamation, joint embedding, no maximal models and are stable (in terms of the number of orbital types). Assuming a locality property for types, we prove that such classes exhibit superstable-like behavior at $\aleph_0$. More precisely, there is a superlimit model of cardinality $\aleph_0$ and the class generated by this superlimit has a type-full good $\aleph_0$-frame (a local notion of nonforking independence) and a superlimit model of cardinality $\aleph_1$. We also give a supersimplicity condition under which the local…
It is shown that if T is stable unsuperstable, and aleph_1< lambda =cf(lambda)< 2^{aleph_0}, or 2^{aleph_0} < mu^+< lambda =cf(lambda)< mu^{aleph_0} then T has no universal model in cardinality lambda, and if e.g. aleph_omega < 2^{aleph_0} then T has no universal model in aleph_omega. These results are generalized to kappa =cf(kappa) < kappa (T) in the place of aleph_0. Also: if there is a universal model in lambda >|T|, T stable and kappa < kappa (T) then there is a universal tree of height kappa +1 in cardinality lambda .
We prove that in the Cohen extension adding $\aleph_3$ generic reals to a model of $ZFC+CH$ containing a simplified $(ω_1,2)$-morass, gap-2 morass-definable $η_1$-orderings with cardinality $\aleph_3$ are order-isomorphic. Hence it is consistent that the $2^{\aleph_0}=\aleph_3$ and that morass-definable $η_1$-orderings with cardinality of the continuum are order-isomorphic. We prove that there are ultrapowers of $\mathbb{R}$ over $ω$ that are gap-2 morass-definable. The constructions use a simplified gap-2 morass, and commutativity with morass-maps and morass-embeddings, to extend a transfinit…
A usual dichotomy is that in many cases, reasonably definable sets, satisfy the CH, i.e. if they are uncountable they have cardinality continuum. A strong dichotomy is when: if the cardinality is infinite it is continuum as in [Sh:273]. We are interested in such phenomena when lambda = aleph_0 is replaced by lambda regular uncountable and also by lambda = beth_omega or more generally by strong limit of cofinality aleph_0 .
This is a paper that aims to interpret the cardinality of a set in terms of Baire Category, i.e. how many closed nowhere dense sets can be deleted from a set before the set itself becomes negligible. . To do this natural tree-theoretic structures such as the Baire topology are introduced, and the Baire Category Theorem is extended to a statement that a $\aleph$-sequentially complete binary tree representation of a Hausdorff topological space that has a clopen base of cardinality $\aleph$ and no isolated or discrete points is not the union of $<\aleph+1$-many nowhere dense subsets for cardinal …
Problem 5.1 in page 181 of [Fuc15] asks to find the cardinals $λ$ such that there is a universal abelian $p$-group for purity of cardinality $λ$, i.e., an abelian $p$-group $U_λ$ of cardinality $λ$ such that every abelian $p$-group of cardinality $\leq λ$ purely embeds in $U_λ$. In this paper we use ideas from the theory of abstract elementary classes to show: $\textbf{Theorem.}$ Let $p$ be a prime number. If $λ^{\aleph_0}=λ$ or $\forall μ< λ( μ^{\aleph_0} < λ)$, then there is a universal abelian $p$-group for purity of cardinality $λ$. Moreover for $n\geq 2$, there is a universal abelian $p$-…
Let R be a subring of Q and recall from math.LO/9910161 that an R-module G is a splitter if Ext_R(G,G)=0. We correct the statement of Main Theorem 1.5 in math.LO/9910161. Assuming CH any aleph_1$-free splitter of cardinality aleph_1 is free over its nucleus as shown in math.LO/9910161. Generally these modules are very close to being free as explained below. This change follows from math.LO/9910161 and is due to an incomplete proof (noticed thanks to Paul Eklof) in the first section of math.LO/9910161. Assuming the negation of CH, in Shelah [Sh:F417] (work in progress) it will be shown that und…
We begin with the existence of groups with trivial duals for cardinals aleph_n (n in omega). Then we derive results about strongly aleph_n-free abelian groups of cardinality aleph_n (n in omega) with prescribed free, countable endomorphism ring. Finally we use combinatorial results of [Sh:108], [Sh:141] to give similar answers for cardinals >aleph_omega. As in Magidor and Shelah [MgSh:204], a paper concerned with the existence of kappa-free, non-free abelian groups of cardinality kappa, the induction argument breaks down at aleph_omega. Recall that aleph_omega is the first singular cardinal an…
When the second uniform indiscernible is $\aleph_{2}$, the Martin-Solovay tree only constructs countably many reals; this resolves a number of open questions in descriptive set theory.
Let (A) and (B) be two first order structures of the same vocabulary. We shall consider the Ehrenfeucht-Fra{i}sse-game of length omega_1 of A and B which we denote by G_{omega_1}(A,B). This game is like the ordinary Ehrenfeucht-Fraisse-game of L_{omega omega} except that there are omega_1 moves. It is clear that G_{omega_1}(A,B) is determined if A and B are of cardinality <= aleph_1. We prove the following results: Theorem A: If V=L, then there are models A and B of cardinality aleph_2 such that the game G_{omega_1}(A,B) is non-determined. Theorem B: If it is consistent that there is a measura…
We prove in ZFC, no psi in L_{omega_1,omega}[Q] have unique model of uncountable cardinality, this confirms theBaldwin conjecture. But we analyze this in more general terms. We introduce and investigate a.e.c. and also versions of limit models, and prove some basic properties like representation by PC class, for any a.e.c. For PC_{aleph_0}-representable a.e.c. we investigate the conclusion of having not too many non-isomorphic models in aleph_1 and aleph_2, but have to assume 2^{aleph_0}<2^{aleph_1} and even 2^{aleph_1}<2^{aleph_2}.
Let R be a subring of the rationals. We want to investigate self splitting R-modules G that is Ext_R(G,G)=0 holds. For simplicity we will call such modules splitters. Our investigation continues math.LO/9910159. In math.LO/9910159, we answered an open problem by constructing a large class of splitters. Classical splitters are free modules and torsion-free, algebraically compact ones. In math.LO/9910159 we concentrated on splitters which are larger then the continuum and such that countable submodules are not necessarily free. The `opposite' case of aleph_1-free splitters of cardinality less or…
We investigate a relations of almost isometric embedding and almost isometry between metric spaces and prove that with respect to these relations: (1) There is a countable universal metric space. (2) There may exist fewer than continuum separable metric spaces on aleph_1 so that every separable metric space is almost isometrically embedded into one of them when the continuum hypothesis fails. (3) There is no collection of fewer than continuum metric spaces of cardinality aleph_2 so that every ultra-metric space of cardinality aleph_2 is almost isometrically embedded into one of them if aleph_2…
A ZFC Dowker space is constructed which has cardinality $\aleph_{ω+1}$. This provides a bound in ZFC to the first cardinal in which there is a ZFC Dowker space. The space we construct is a closed and cofinal subspace of M.~E.~Rudin's Dowker space from 1971. A theorem from pcf theory used in the proof, but otherwise the proof is elementary.
A characteristic result is that if 2^{aleph_0}< mu < mu^+< lambda = cf(lambda)< mu^{aleph_0}, then among the separable reduced p-groups of cardinality lambda which are (< lambda)-stable there is no universal one.
section 2: We answer a question of Mekler Eklof on the closure operations of the incompactness spectrum. We answer a question of Foreman and Magidor on reflection of stationary subsets of S_{< aleph_2}(lambda) = {a subseteq lambda : |a| < aleph_2}]. section 3 - NPT is not transitive. We prove NPT(lambda, mu) + NPT(mu, kappa) not => NPT(lambda, kappa)
The essentially non-free spectrum is the class of uncountable cardinals kappa in which there is an essentially non-free algebra of cardinality kappa which is almost free. In L, the essentially non-free spectrum of a variety is entirely determined by whether or not the construction principle holds. In ZFC may be more complicated. For some varieties, such as groups, abelian groups or any variety of modules over a non-left perfect ring, the essentially non-free spectrum contains not only aleph_1 but aleph_n for all n>0. The reason for this being true in ZFC (rather than under some special set the…
We consider the question of which valuation domains (of cardinality aleph_1) have non-standard uniserial modules. We show that a criterion conjectured by Osofsky is independent of ZFC + GCH.
Assume <aleph_0,aleph_1>-><lambda,lambda^+>. Assume M is a model of a first order theory T of cardinality at most lambda^+ in a vocabulary L(T) of cardinality <= lambda . Let N be a model with the same vocabulary. Let Delta be a set of first order formulas in L(T) and let D be a regular filter on lambda. Then M is Delta-embeddable into the reduced power N^lambda/D, provided that every Delta-existential formula true in M is true also in N. We obtain the following corollary: for M as above and D a regular ultrafilter over lambda, M^lambda/D is lambda^{++}-universal. Our second result is as follo…
If cf(kappa) = kappa, kappa^+< cf(lambda) = λ, then there is a stationary subset S of {delta<lambda:cf(delta)=kappa} in I[lambda]. Moreover, we can find <C_delta :delta in S>, C_delta a club of lambda, otp(C_delta)=kappa, guessing clubs and for each alpha<lambda we have: {C_delta \cap alpha: alpha \in nacc(C_delta)} has cardinality <lambda. Also, we prove that e.g. there is a stationary subset of S_{<aleph_1}(lambda) of cardinality cf(S_{<aleph_1}(lambda),subseteq) Then we prove the existence of nice filters when instead being normal filters on omega_1 they are normal filters with larger domai…
We prove in ZFC that the Baer-Specker group Z^omega has 2^{aleph_1} non-free pure subgroups of cardinality aleph_1 which are almost disjoint: there is no non-free subgroup embeddable in any pair.
Let T be the family of open subsets of a topological space (not necessarily Hausdorff or even T_0). We prove that if T has a base of cardinality <= mu, lambda <= mu < 2^lambda, lambda strong limit of cofinality aleph_0, then T has cardinality <= mu or >= 2^lambda. This is our main conclusion. First we prove it under some set theoretic assumption, which is clear when lambda = mu ; then we eliminate the assumption by a theorem on pcf from [Sh 460] motivated originally by this. Next we prove that the simplest examples are the basic ones; they occur in every example (for lambda = aleph_0 this fulf…
A study is carried out of the elementary theory of quotients of symmetric groups in a similar spirit to [Sh:24]. Apart from the trivial and alternating subgroups, the normal subgroups of the full symmetric group S(mu) on an infinite cardinal mu are all of the form S_kappa(mu)= the subgroup consisting of elements whose support has cardinality <kappa for some kappa <= mu^+. A many-sorted structure M_{kappa lambda mu} is defined which, it is shown, encapsulates the first order properties of the group S_lambda (mu)/S_kappa (mu). Specifically, these two structures are (uniformly) bi-interpretable, …
We prove that if ZF is consistent then ZFC+GCH is consistent with the following statement: There is for every k<omega a model of cardinality aleph_1 which is L_{infty,omega_1}-equivalent to exactly k non-isomorphic models of cardinality aleph_1. In order to get this result we introduce ladder systems and colourings different from the ``standard'' counterparts, and prove the following purely combinatorial result: For each prime number p and positive integer m it is consistent with ZFC+GCH that there is a ``good'' ladder system having exactly p^m pairwise nonequivalent colourings.
The current paper answers an open question of abs/1007.2426 We say that a countable model M characterizes an infinite cardinal kappa, if the Scott sentence of M has a model in cardinality kappa, but no models in cardinality kappa plus. If M is linearly ordered by <, we will say that the linear ordering (M,<) characterizes kappa. It is known that if kappa is characterizable, then kappa plus is characterizable by a linear ordering. Also, if kappa is characterizable by a dense linear ordering with an increasing sequence of size kappa, then 2^kappa is characterizable. We show that if kappa is homo…
We prove that if there is a dominating family of size ${\aleph}_{1}$, then there is are ${\aleph}_{1}$ many compact subsets of $ω^ω$ whose union is a maximal almost disjoint family of functions that is also maximal with respect to infinite partial functions.
In [Sh:89] we, answering a question of Monk, have explicated the notion of ``a Boolean algebra with no endomorphisms except the ones induced by ultrafilters on it'' (see section 2 here) and proved the existence of one with character density aleph_0, assuming first diamondsuit_{aleph_1} and then only CH. The idea was that if h is an endomorphism of B, not among the ``trivial'' ones, then there are pairwise disjoint D_n in B with h(d_n) not subset d_n. Then we can, for some S subset omega, add an element x such that d <= x for n in S, x cap d_n=0 for n not in S while forbidding a solution for {y…
We show that there are no infinite maximal almost disjoint ("mad") families in Solovay's model, thus solving a long-standing problem posed by A.D.R. Mathias in 1967. We also give a new proof of Mathias' theorem that no analytic infinite almost disjoint family can be maximal, and show more generally that if Martin's Axiom holds at $κ<2^{\aleph_0}$, then no $κ$-Souslin infinite almost disjoint family can be maximal. Finally we show that if $\aleph_1^{L[a]}<\aleph_1$, then there are no $Σ^1_2[a]$ infinite mad families.
The Cardinalities of Intervals of Equational Theories and Logics
Institute of Discrete Mathematics and Geometry, TU Wien（维也纳工业大学离散数学与几何研究所）；Institute for Logic, Language and Computation, University of Amsterdam（阿姆斯特丹大学逻辑、语言与计算研究所）
Using ideas from Shelah's recent proof that a completely separable maximal almost disjoint family exists when $\c < {\aleph}_ω$, we construct a weakly tight family under the hypothesis $\s \leq \b < {\aleph}_ω$. The case when $\s < \b$ is handled in $\ZFC$ and does not require $\b < {\aleph}_ω$, while an additional PCF type hypothesis, which holds when $\b < {\aleph}_ω$ is used to treat the case $\s = \b$. The notion of a weakly tight family is a natural weakening of the well studied notion of a Cohen indestructible maximal almost disjoint family. It was introduced by Hru{š}{á}k and Garc{\'ı}a…
Given a family $F$ of pairwise almost disjoint sets on a countable set $S$, we study maximal almost disjoint (mad) families $F^+$ extending $F$. We define $a^+(F)$ to be the minimal possible cardinality of $F^+\setminus F$ for such $F^+$, and $a^+(κ)=\sup\{a^+(F): |F| \leq κ\}$. We show that all infinite cardinal less than or equal to the continuum continuum can be represented as $a^+(F)$ for some almost disjoint $F$ and that the inequalities $\aleph_1=a<a^+(\aleph_1)=c$ and $a=a^+(\aleph_1)<c$ are both consistent. We also give a several constructions of mad families with some additional prope…
We construct non-isomorphic models M, N, e.g. of cardinality aleph_1 such that in the Ehrenfeucht-Fraisse game of length zeta < omega_1 the isomorphism player wins
We investigate the automorphism groups of $\aleph\_0$-categorical structures and prove that they are exactly the Roelcke precompact Polish groups. We show that the theory of a structure is stable if and only if every Roelcke uniformly continuous function on the automorphism group is weakly almost periodic. Analysing the semigroup structure on the weakly almost periodic compactification, we show that continuous surjective homomorphisms from automorphism groups of stable $\aleph\_0$-categorical structures to Hausdorff topological groups are open. We also produce some new WAP-trivial groups and c…
We show that if 2^{aleph_0} Cohen reals are added to the universe, then for every reduced non-free torsion-free abelian group A of cardinality less than the continuum, there is a prime p so that Ext_p(A, Z) not= 0. In particular if it is consistent that there is a supercompact cardinal, then it is consistent (even with weak CH) that every coseparable group is free. The use of some large cardinal hypothesis is needed.
Let λbe a cardinal with λ=λ^{\aleph_0} and p be either 0 or a prime number. We show that there are fields K_0 and K_1 of cardinality λand characteristic p such that the automorphism group of K_0 is a free group of cardinality 2^λand the automorphism group of K_1 is a free abelian group of cardinality 2^λ. This partially answers a question from [8] and complements results from [15], [16] and [17]. The methods developed in the proof of the above statement also allow us to show that the above cardinal arithmetic assumption is consistently not necessary for the existence of such fields and that th…
Consider an a.e.c. (abstract elementary class), that is, a class K of models with a partial order refining inclusion (submodel) which satisfy the most basic properties of an elementary class. Our test question is trying to show that the function dot I (lambda, K), counting the number of models in K of cardinality lambda up to isomorphism, is "nice", not chaotic, even without assuming it is sometimes 1, i.e. categorical in some lambda's. We prove here that for some closed unbounded class C of cardinals we have (a), (b) or (c) where (a) for every lambda in C of cofinality aleph_0, dot I (lambda,…
We argue that we solved Hilbert's first problem positively (after reformulating it just to avoid the known consistency results) and give some applications. Let lambda to the revised power of kappa, denoted lambda^{[kappa]}, be the minimal cardinality of a family of subsets of lambda each of cardinality kappa such that any other subset of lambda of cardinality kappa is included in the union of <kappa members of the family. The main theorem says that almost always this revised power is equal to lambda. Our main result is The Revised GCH Theorem: Assume we fix an uncountable strong limit cardinal…
Let R be a countable, principal ideal domain which is not a field and A be a countable R-algebra which is free as an R-module. Then we will construct an aleph_1-free R-module G of rank aleph_1 with endomorphism algebra End_RG=A . Clearly the result does not hold for fields. Recall that an R-module is aleph_1-free if all its countable submodules are free, a condition closely related to Pontryagin's theorem. This result has many consequences, depending on the algebra A in use. For instance, if we choose A=R, then clearly G is an indecomposable `almost free' module. The existence of such modules …
We give another proof that for every lambda >= beth_omega for every large enough regular kappa < beth_omega we have lambda^{[kappa]}= lambda, dealing with sufficient conditions for replacing beth_omega by aleph_omega. In section 2 we show that large pcf(a) implies existence of free sets. An example is that if pp(aleph_omega)> aleph_{omega_1} then for every algebra M of cardinality aleph_omega with countably many functions, for some a_n in M (for n< omega) we have a_n notin cl_M({a_l: l not= n, l<omega}). Then we present results complementary to those of section 2 (but not close enough): if IND…
We prove that some fairly basic questions on automata reading infinite words depend on the models of the axiomatic system ZFC. It is known that there are only three possibilities for the cardinality of the complement of an omega-language $L(A)$ accepted by a Büchi 1-counter automaton $A$. We prove the following surprising result: there exists a 1-counter Büchi automaton $A$ such that the cardinality of the complement $L(A)^-$ of the omega-language $L(A)$ is not determined by ZFC: (1). There is a model $V_1$ of ZFC in which $L(A)^-$ is countable. (2). There is a model $V_2$ of ZFC in which $L(A…
Let lambda be aleph_0 or a strong limit of cofinality aleph_0. Suppose that (G_m,p_{m,n}:m =< n<omega) and (H_m,p^t_{m,n}: m=< n < omega) are projective systems of groups of cardinality less than lambda and suppose that for every n<omega there is a homomorphism h:H_n-->G_n such that all the diagrams commute. If for every mu<lambda there exists (f_i in G_omega:i<mu) such that for distinct i,j we have: f_i f_j^{-1} notin h_omega(H_omega), then there exists (f_i in G_omega:i<2^lambda) such that for distinct i,j we have f_i f_j^{-1} notin h_omega(H_omega).
We prove that it is relatively consistent with ZF + CH that there exist two models of cardinality \aleph_2 such that the second player has a winning strategy in the Ehrenfeucht-Fraïssé-game of length ω_1 but there is no σ-closed back-and-forth set for the two models. If CH fails, no such pairs of models exist.
We will answer a question raised by Emmanuel Dror Farjoun concerning the existence of torsion-free abelian groups G such that for any ordered pair of pure elements there is a unique automorphism mapping the first element onto the second one. We will show the existence of such a group of cardinality lambda for any successor cardinal lambda=mu^+ with mu=mu^{aleph_0}.
How many endomorphisms does a Boolean algebra have? Can we find Boolean algebras with as few endomorphisms as possible? Of course from any ultrafilter of the Boolean algebra we can define an endomorphism, and we can combine finitely many such endomorphisms in some reasonable ways. We prove that in any cardinality lambda=lambda^ {aleph_0} there is a Boolean algebra with no other endomorphisms. For this we use the so called "black boxes", but in a self contained way. We comment on how necessary the restriction on the cardinal is.
