We address several questions of Donald Monk related to irredundance and spread of Boolean algebras, gaining both some ZFC knowledge and consistency results. We show in ZFC that irr(B_0 times B_1)= max(irr(B_0),irr(B_1)). We prove consistency of the statement ``there is a Boolean algebra B such that irr(B)<s(B otimes B)'' and we force a superatomic Boolean algebra B_* such that s(B_*)=inc(B_*)=kappa, irr(B_*)=Id(B_*)=kappa^+ and Sub(B_*)=2^(kappa^+). Next we force a superatomic algebra B_0 such that irr(B_0)<inc(B_0) and a superatomic algebra B_1 such that t(B_1)>Aut(B_1). Finally we show that consistently there is a Boolean algebra B of size lambda such that there is no free sequence in B of length lambda, there is an ultrafilter of tightness lambda (so t(B)=lambda) and lambda notin Depth_(Hs)(B).
We deal with some of problems posed by Monk and related to cardinal invariant of ultraproducts of Boolean algebras. We also introduce and investigate some new cardinal invariants.
We construct Boolean Algebras answering questions of Monk on cardinal invariants. The results are proved in ZFC (rather than giving consistency results). We deal with the existence of superatomic Boolean Algebras with ``few automorphisms'', with entangled sequences of linear orders, and with semi-ZFC examples of the non-attainment of the spread (and hL, hd).
Let C denote any of the following cardinal characteristics of Boolean algebras: incomparability, spread, character, pi-character, hereditary Lindelof number, hereditary density. It is shown to be consistent that there exists a sequence <B_i:i<kappa> of Boolean algebras and an ultrafilter D on kappa such that C(prod_{i<kappa}B_i/D)<|prod_{i<kappa}C(B_i)/D|. This answers a number of problems posed by Monk.
The present status of the problems in my book "Cardinal Invariants on Boolean algebras" (Birkhauser 1996) is described, with a description of solutions or partial solutions, and references.
We introduce a large cardinal property which is consistent with L and show that for every superatomic Boolean algebra B and every cardinal lambda with the large cardinal property, if tightness^+(B) >= lambda^+, then depth (B) >= lambda. This improves a theorem of Dow and Monk.
Boolean ultrapowers extend the classical ultrapower construction to work with ultrafilters on any complete Boolean algebra, rather than only on a power set algebra. When they are well-founded, the associated Boolean ultrapower embeddings exhibit a large cardinal nature, and the Boolean ultrapower construction thereby unifies two central themes of set theory---forcing and large cardinals---by revealing them to be two facets of a single underlying construction, the Boolean ultrapower.
Let inv denote the cardinal invariants Depth^+ and Length^+ on Boolean algebras. For many singular cardinals we create a strict inequality between the product of the inv values and the inv of the product algebra. The proof holds in ZFC.
We give a definition of some classes of boolean algebras generalizing free boolean algebras; they satisfy a universal property that certain functions extend to homomorphisms. We give a combinatorial property of generating sets of these algebras, which we call n-independent. The properties of these classes (n-free and omega-free boolean algebras) are investigated. These include connections to hypergraph theory and cardinal invariants on these algebras. Related cardinal functions, $n$Ind, which is the supremum of the cardinalities of n-independent subsets; i_n, the minimum size of a maximal n-in…
We prove that assuming suitable cardinal arithmetic, if B is a Boolean algebra every homomorphic image of which is isomorphic to a factor, then B has locally small density. We also prove that for an (infinite) Boolean algebra B, the number of subalgebras is not smaller than the number of endomorphisms, and other related inequalities. Lastly we deal with the obtainment of the supremum of the cardinalities of sets of pairwise incomparable elements of a Boolean algebra.
Using Koszmider's strongly unbounded functions, we show the following consistency result: Suppose that $κ,λ$ are infinite cardinals such that $κ^{+++} \leq λ$, $κ^{<κ}=κ$ and $2^κ= κ^+$, and $η$ is an ordinal with $κ^+\leq η<κ^{++}$ and $cf(η) = κ^+$. Then, in some cardinal-preserving generic extension there is a superatomic Boolean algebra $B$ such that - $ht(B) = η+ 1$, - the cardinality of the $α$th level of $B$ is $κ$ for every $α<η$, - and the cardinality of the $η$th level of $B$ is $λ$ Especially, $\<ω\>_{ω_1}\concatenation \<ω_3\>$ and $\<ω_1\>_{ω_2}\concatenation \<ω_4\>$ can be cardi…
We prove that for any superatomic Boolean Algebra of cardinality >beth_omega there is an automorphism moving uncountably many atoms. Similarly for larger cardinals. Any of those results are essentially best possible.
For I a proper, countably complete ideal on P(X) for some set X, can the quotient Boolean algebra P(X)/I be complete? This question was raised by Sikorski in 1949. By a simple projection argument as for measurable cardinals, it can be assumed that X is an uncountable cardinal kappa, and that I is a kappa-complete ideal on P(kappa) containing all singletons. In this paper we provide consequences from and consistency results about completeness.
We give a definition of some classes of boolean algebras generalizing free boolean algebras; they satisfy a universal property that certain functions extend to homomorphisms. We give a combinatorial property of generating sets of these algebras, which we call n -independent. The properties of these classes (n-free and omega-free boolean algebras) are investigated. These include connections to hypergraph theory and cardinal invariants on these algebras. Related cardinal functions, n Ind, which is the supremum of the cardinalities of n-independent subsets; i_n, the minimum size of a maximal n -i…
This article is devoted to two different generalizations of projective Boolean algebras: openly generated Boolean algebras and tightly sigma-filtered Boolean algebras. We show that for every uncountable regular cardinal kappa there are 2^kappa pairwise non-isomorphic openly generated Boolean algebras of size kappa > aleph_1 provided there is an almost free non-free abelian group of size kappa. The openly generated Boolean algebras constructed here are almost free. Moreover, for every infinite regular cardinal kappa we construct 2^kappa pairwise non-isomorphic Boolean algebras of size kappa tha…
We prove the consistency with ZFC of ``the length of an ultraproduct of Boolean algebras is smaller than the ultraproduct of the lengths''. Similarly for some other cardinal invariants of Boolean algebras.
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.
We give a necessary and sufficient condition for an atomless Boolean algebra to be countably generated, and use it to give new proofs of some some know facts due to Gaifman-Hales and Solovay and also due to Jech, Kunen and Magidor. We also show that Jensen's coding theorem can be used to provide cardinal preserving countably generated complete Boolean algebras of arbitrary large cardinality. This answers a question of Jech [5] from 1976.
We answer three problems by J. D. Monk on cardinal invariants of Boolean algebras. Two of these are whether taking the algebraic density pi(A), resp. the topological density d(A), of a Boolean algebra A commutes with formation of ultraproducts; the third one compares the number of endomorphisms and of ideals of a Boolean algebra.
If $A$ is an infinite Boolean algebra the cardinal invariant $\mathfrak{a}(A)$ is defined as the smallest size of an infinite partition of $A$. The cardinal $\mathfrak{a}(A\oplus B)$, where $A\oplus B$ is the free product of the Boolean algebras $A$ and $B$ (whose dual topological space is the product of the dual topological spaces of $A$ and $B$), is below both $\mathfrak{a}(A)$ and $\mathfrak{a}(B)$. The equality $\mathfrak{a}(A\oplus B)=\min\lbrace\mathfrak{a}(A),\mathfrak{a}(B)\rbrace$ is not known to hold for all infinite Boolean algebras $A$ and $B$. Here some lower bounds of $\mathfrak{…
We give a simplified proof of a theorem of M. Rabus and S. Shelah claiming that for each cardinal mu there is a c.c.c Boolean algebra with topological density mu.
We show that the Depth^+ of an ultraproduct of Boolean Algebras, can not jump over the Depth^+ of every component by more than one cardinality. We can have, consequently, similar results for the Depth invariant.
We address a number of problems on Boolean Algebras. For example, we construct, in ZFC, for any BA B, and cardinal kappa BAs B_1,B_2 extending B such that the depth of the free product of B_1,B_2 over B is strictly larger than the depths of B_1 and of B_2 than kappa. We give a condition (for lambda, mu and theta) which implies that for some BA A_theta there are B_1=B^1_{lambda, mu, theta} and B_2B^2_{lambda, mu, theta} such that Depth (B_t) <= mu and Depth (B_1 oplus_{A_theta} B_1) >= lambda. We then investigate for a fixed A, the existence of such B_1,B_2 giving sufficient and necessary condi…
A subset $A$ of a Boolean algebra $B$ is said to be $(n,m)$-reaped if there is a partition of unity $P \subset B$ of size $n$ such that the cardinality of $\{b \in P: b \wedge a \neq \emptyset\}$ is greater than or equal to $m$ for all $a\in A$. The reaping number $r_{n,m}(B)$ of a Boolean algebra $B$ is the minimum cardinality of a set $A \subset B\setminus \{0\}$ such which cannot be $(n,m)$-reaped. It is shown that, for each $n \in ω$, there is a Boolean algebra $B$ such that $r_{n+1,2}(B) \neq r_{n,2}(B)$. Also, $\{r_{n,m}(B) : \{n,m\}\subseteqω\}$ consists of at most two consecutive integ…
We investigate sigma-entangled linear orders and narrowness of Boolean algebras. We show existence of sigma-entangled linear orders in many cardinals, and we build Boolean algebras with neither large chains nor large pies. We study the behavior of these notions in ultraproducts.
We investigate reflection-type problems on the class SPM, of Boolean algebras carrying strictly positive finitely additive measures. We show, in particular, that in the constructible universe there is a Boolean algebra $\mathfrak A$ which is not in SPM but every subalgebra of $\mathfrak A$ of cardinality $\mathfrak c$ admits a strictly positive measure. This result is essentially due to Farah and Velickovic.
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 give a unified treatment of the model theory of various enrichments of infinite atomic Boolean algebras, with special attention to quantifier-eliminations, complete axiomatizations and decidability. A classical example is the enrichment by a predicate for the ideal of finite sets, and a novel one involves predicates giving congruence conditions on the cardinality of finite sets. We focus on three examples, and classify them by expressive power.
We investigate the sequential topology $τ_s$ on a complete Boolean algebra $B$ determined by algebraically convergent sequences in $B$. We show the role of weak distributivity of $B$ in separation axioms for the sequential topology. The main result is that a necessary and sufficient condition for $B$ to carry a strictly positive Maharam submeasure is that $B$ is ccc and that the space $(B,τ_s)$ is Hausdorff. We also characterize sequential cardinals.
Under the assumption that the continuum c is a regular cardinal, we prove the existence and uniqueness of a Boolean algebra B of size c defined by sharing the main structural properties that P(N)/fin has under CH and in the aleph2-Cohen model. We prove a similar result in the category of Banach spaces.
We characterize the situation of small cardinality for a product of cardinals divided by an ultrafilter. We develop the notion of weak normality. We include an application to Boolean Algebras.
Let "ex" be the cardinality of the smallest independent family of subsets of omega (independent means that all nontrivial Boolean combinations are infinite) which cannot be extended to a homogeneous independent family. "Homogeneous" means that every finite partial map (points to points, sets to sets) that is compatible with the family is induced by a permutation of omega. Despite its apparently ``complex'' (second order) definition, this cardinal is equal to a well-known ``simple'' cardinal invariant from Cichon's diagram.
We prove that consistently, cov($\mathcal{M})< λ_\mathbf{0} < λ_\mathbf{1} < λ_\mathbf{\infty} < 2^{\aleph_0}$, where $λ_\mathbf{0}$ denotes the weak Borel chromatic number of the Kechris-Solecki-Todorčević graph $\mathbb{G}_0$, that is, the minimal cardinality of a $\mathbb{G}_0$-independent Borel covering of $2^ω$, while $λ_\mathbf{1}$ and $λ_\infty$ are the corresponding invariants of the graph $\mathbb{G}_1$ and the simple graph associated with the equivalence relation $E_0$.
We prove that for infinite cardinals $κ<λ$ the alternating group $Alt(λ)$ (of even permutations) of $λ$ is not embeddable into the symmetric group $Sym(κ)$ (of all permutations) of $κ$. To prove this fact we introduce and study several monotone cardinal group invariants which take value $κ$ on the groups $Alt(κ)$ and $Sym(κ)$.
This paper deals with variety of problems in pcf theory and infinitary combinatorics. We look at normal filters and prc, measures of the size of [lambda]^{<kappa}, pcf-inaccessibility, entangled orders (and narrow Boolean Algebras), measuring prod_{i<kappa}f(i) by a family of ideals and a family of sequences <B_i:i<kappa> with |B_i|<mu_i, and finally we deal with the existence of strongly almost disjoint families.
We give a combinatorial characterization of countable submaximal subspaces of $2^κ$. Using a parametrized version of Mathias forcing, we prove that there exists a countable submaximal subspace of $2^{ω_1}$ whilst $\mathfrak{c}=ω_2$. Combining this with previous results, we construct a disjointly tight countable irresolvable space of weight $<\mathfrak{c}$, answering a question of Bella and Hrušák.
Given a Boolean algebra $A$, we construct another Boolean algebra $B$ with no uncountable well-ordered chains such that the Banach space of real valued continuous functions $C(K_A)$ embeds isometrically into $C(K_B)$, where $K_A$ and $K_B$ are the Stone spaces of $A$ and $B$ respectively. As a consequence we obtain the following: If there exists an isometrically universal Banach space for the class of Banach spaces of a given uncountable density $κ$, then there is another such space which is induced by a Boolean algebra which is not universal for Boolean algebras of cardinality $κ$. Such a phe…
We prove the consistency of irr(prod limits_{i<kappa}B_i/D)< prod limits_{i<kappa}irr(B_i)/D, where D is an ultrafilter on kappa and each B_i is a Boolean Algebra. This solves the last problem of this form from the Monk's list of problems, that is number 35. The solution applies to many other properties, e.g., Souslinity. Next, we get similar results with kappa = aleph_1 (easily we cannot have it for kappa=aleph_0) and Boolean Algebras B_i (i< kappa) of cardinality < beth_{omega_1}.
The present paper addresses the problem of attainment of the supremums in various equivalent definitions of hereditary density hd and hereditary Lindelof degree hL of Boolean algebras. We partially answer two problems of J. Donald Monk (Problems 50 and 54 in his book "Cardinal Invariants on Boolean Algebras), showing consistency of different attainment behaviour and proving that (for the considered variants) this is the best result we can expect.
We prove two ZFC theorems about cardinal invariants above the continuum which are in sharp contrast to well-known facts about these same invariants at the continuum. It is shown that for an uncountable regular cardinal $κ$, $\mathfrak{b}(κ) = κ^{+}$ implies $\mathfrak{a}(κ) = κ^{+}$. This improves an earlier result of Blass, Hyttinen, and Zhang. It is also shown that if $κ\geq {\beth}_ω$ is an uncountable regular cardinal, then $\mathfrak{d}(κ) \leq \mathfrak{r}(κ)$. This result partially dualizes an earlier theorem of the authors.
An interval algebra is a Boolean algebra which is isomorphic to the algebra of finite unions of half-open intervals, of a linearly ordered set. An interval algebra is hereditary if every subalgebra is an interval algebra. We answer a question of M. Bekkali and S. Todorčević, by showing that it is consistent that every $σ$-centered interval algebra of size $\mathfrak{b}$ is hereditary. We also show that there is, in ZFC, an hereditary interval algebra of cardinality $\aleph_1.$
We prove that the strong polarized relation of $θ$ above $ω$ applied simultaneously for every cardinal in the interval $[\aleph_1,\aleph]$ is consistent. We conclude that this positive relation is consistent for every cardinal invariant on the continuum. We show that similar results hold for a supercompact cardinal, and for a strong limit singular under some assumptions.
We prove that for every singular cardinal mu of cofinality omega, the complete Boolean algebra compP_mu(mu) contains as a complete subalgebra an isomorphic copy of the collapse algebra Comp Col(omega_1,mu^{aleph_0}). Consequently, adding a generic filter to the quotient algebra P_mu(mu)=P(mu)/[mu]^{<mu} collapses mu^{aleph_0} to aleph_1. Another corollary is that the Baire number of the space U(mu) of all uniform ultrafilters over mu is equal to omega_2. The corollaries affirm two conjectures by Balcar and Simon. The proof uses pcf theory.
We prove some consistency results about b(lambda) and d(lambda), which are natural generalisations of the cardinal invariants of the continuum b and d. We also define invariants b_cl(lambda) and d_cl(lambda), and prove that almost always b(lambda) = b_cl(lambda) and d(lambda)=d_cl(lambda)
We study the question which Boolean algebras have the property that for every generating set there is an ultrafilter selecting maximal number of its elements. We call it the ultrafilter selection property. For cardinality aleph-one the property is equivalent to the fact that the space of ultrafilters is not Corson compact. We also consider the pointwise topology on a Boolean algebra, proving a result on the Lindelöf number in the context of the ultrafilter selection property. Finally, we discuss poset Boolean algebras, interval algebras, and semilattices in the context of ultrafilter selection…
Noetherian type and Noetherian $π$-type are two cardinal functions which were introduced by Peregudov in 1997, capturing some properties studied earlier by the Russian School. Their behavior has been shown to be akin to that of the \emph{cellularity}, that is the supremum of the sizes of pairwise disjoint non-empty open sets in a topological space. Building on that analogy, we study the Noetherian $π$-type of $κ$-Suslin Lines, and we are able to determine it for every $κ$ up to the first singular cardinal. We then prove a consequence of Chang's Conjecture for $\aleph_ω$ regarding the Noetheria…
A subset $X$ of a Polish group $G$ is \emph{Haar null} if there exists a Borel probability measure $μ$ and a Borel set $B$ containing $X$ such that $μ(gBh)=0$ for every $g,h \in G$. A set $X$ is \emph{Haar meager} if there exists a compact metric space $K$, a continuous function $f : K \to G$ and a Borel set $B$ containing $X$ such that $f^{-1}(gBh)$ is meager in $K$ for every $g,h \in G$. We calculate (in $ZFC$) the four cardinal invariants ($\rm add$, $\rm cov$, $\rm non$, $\rm cof$) of these two $σ$-ideals for the simplest non-locally compact Polish group, namely in the case $G = \mathbb{Z}…
We show that it is consistent with ZFC (relative to large cardinals) that every infinite Boolean algebra B has an irredundant subset A such that 2^{|A|} = 2^{|B|}. This implies in particular that B has 2^{|B|} subalgebras. We also discuss some more general problems about subalgebras and free subsets of an algebra. The result on the number of subalgebras in a Boolean algebra solves a question of Monk. The paper is intended to be accessible as far as possible to a general audience, in particular we have confined the more technical material to a ``black box'' at the end. The proof involves a vari…
We prove two $\mathrm{ZFC}$ inequalities between cardinal invariants. The first inequality involves cardinal invariants associated with an analytic P-ideal, in particular the ideal of subsets of $ω$ of asymptotic density $0$. We obtain an upper bound on the $\ast$-covering number, sometimes also called the weak covering number, of this ideal by proving in Section \ref{sec:covz0} that ${\mathord{\mathrm{cov}}}^{\ast}({\mathcal{Z}}_{0}) \leq \mathfrak{d}$. In Section \ref{sec:skbk} we investigate the relationship between the bounding and splitting numbers at regular uncountable cardinals. We pro…
We discuss the Borel Tukey ordering on cardinal invariants of the continuum. We observe that this ordering makes sense for a larger class of cardinals than has previously been considered. We then provide a Borel version of a large portion of van Douwen's diagram. For instance, although the usual proof of the inequality $\mathfrak p\leq\mathfrak b$ does not provide a Borel Tukey map, we show that in fact there is one. Afterwards, we revisit a result of Mildenberger concerning a generalization of the unsplitting and splitting numbers. Lastly, we show that the inclusion ordering on $\mathcal P(ω)…
We extend the applications of the techniques used in Arch Math Logic 52:261-278, 2013, to present various examples of consistency results where some cardinal invariants of the continuum take arbitrary regular values with the size of the continuum being bigger than $\aleph_2$.
We study several cardinal characteristics of closed graphs G on compact metrizable spaces. In particular, we address the question when it is consistent for the bounding number to be strictly smaller than the smallest size of a set not covered by countably many compact G-anticliques. We also provide a descriptive set theoretic characterization of the class of analytic graphs with countable coloring number.
