Dimensions, matroids, and dense pairs of first-order structures (Q639660)

The author studies theories with a so-called existential matroid on them, a vast generalisation of (pre-)geometric theories. A notion of dense pairs of models is introduced in this context, and the main purpose of the paper is to generalise previous results by \textit{L. van den Dries} [Fundam. Math. 157, No. 1, 61--78 (1998; Zbl 0906.03036)] on dense pairs of o-minimal structures to this broader context. Existential matroids in theories expanding a field are shown to be unique if they exist, and they share strong uniformity properties (e.g., their existence is preserved under ultraproducts), so this case is of particular interest. Let \(cl\) be a closure operator on the \(\mathcal L\)-structure \(\mathfrak{M}\), satisfying the exchange property. The corresponding matroid is called definable if, whenever \(b\in cl(A)\), there is an \(\mathcal L\)-formula \(\phi(x,\overline{y})\) and a tuple \(\overline{a}\) from \(A\) such that \({\mathfrak M}\models\phi[b,\overline{a}]\) and such that, whenever \({\mathfrak M}\models\phi[b',\overline{a}']\), then \(b'\in cl(\{b_1',\ldots,b_n'\})\). It follows that the matroid canonically extends to a matroid on every elementary extension of \(\mathfrak{M}\). An existential matroid on \(\mathfrak{M}\) is a definable matroid such that independent extensions always exist, i.e., for every \(\overline{a}\) and sets \(A\subseteq B\) there is \(\overline{a}'\equiv_A\overline{a}\) such that \(\dim(\overline{a}'/B)=\dim(\overline{a}'/A)\). If \({\mathfrak M}=\langle M;\ldots\rangle\), a subset \(X\subseteq M\) is called dense if it intersects every 1-dimensional definable subset of \(M\), and it is called \(cl\)-closed if it equals its closure in the sense of the matroid. The paper starts with a general study of definable and existential matroids. In the special case where \(T\) extends the theory of a field and is equipped with an existential matroid, it is shown that a definable set \(D\) of a model \(K\) is of dimension 1 if and only if every \(x\in K\) may be written as \(\frac{a-b}{c-d}\), with \(a,b,c,d\in D\). This shows uniqueness of the existential matroid, as well as strong uniformity in this case. In particular, the dimension of definable sets is definable in families. Another example of an existential matroid with definable dimension is given by a superstable group \(G\) of \(U\)-rank \(\omega^\alpha\), with \(b\in cl(A)\Leftrightarrow U(b/A)<\omega^\alpha\); a definable set \(D\subseteq G\) is 1-dimensional iff it is generic in the sense of stable groups (finitely many translates of \(D\) cover \(G\)). The author then compares the notion of an existential matroid to earlier work by \textit{L. van den Dries} [Ann. Pure Appl. Logic 45, No. 2, 189--209 (1989; Zbl 0704.03017)] on theories with a dimension function satisfying some axiomatic properties. He then studies the behaviour in expansions, and it is shown how the independence notion given by \(cl\) may be extended to imaginary elements. If \(T\) is a theory with an existential matroid, a dense pair of models of \(T\) is given by a proper elementary pair \((N,M)\) of models of \(T\) such that \(M\) is dense and \(cl\)-closed in \(N\). In case dimension is definable, the class of dense pairs is axiomatisable (in the language \({\mathcal L}\cup\{P\}\)), with corresponding theory \(T^d\). Now assume that \(T\) extends the theory of a field. One of the main results of the paper is the fact that \(T^d\) is then complete and has quantifier elimination down to Boolean combinations of bounded existential formulas, i.e., formulas of the form \(\exists \overline{y}(\bigwedge P(y_i)\wedge\phi(\overline{x},\overline{y}))\), where \(\phi\) is an \({\mathcal L}\)-formula. Moreover, on \((N,M)\models T^d\), the small closure \(\mathit{Scl}(A):=cl(A\cup M)\) gives rise to an existential matroid. Two interesting special cases are considered, \(d\)-minimal topological structures and \(cl\)-minimal structures. Examples of \(d\)-minimal structures are algebraically closed valued fields, \(p\)-adic fields, and dense o-minimal structures. It is shown that there is a natural existential matroid in any \(d\)-minimal structure (\(b\in cl(A)\) iff there is an \(A\)-definable set with empty interior which contains \(b\)), and the topological notion of denseness corresponds to the one abstractly defined in any existential matroid. In this case, any proper dense elementary pair is a model of \(T^d\), i.e. \(cl\)-closedness comes for free. A structure with an existential matroid is called \(cl\)-minimal if there is a unique 1-type of dimension 1. Examples include strongly minimal structures (with \(cl=acl\)), and connected superstable groups of \(U\)-rank \(\omega^\alpha\) (with the matroid mentioned above), e.g., differentially closed fields of characteristic 0. In this case, it is shown that any proper \(cl\)-closed elementary pair is a model of \(T^d\), so denseness comes for free. The paper ends with some considerations on connected groups (connectedness being defined in terms of an existential matroid), the behaviour in ultraproducts under some natural uniformity assumptions, dense tuples (which may be obtained via iterating the construction of \(T^d\)) and the special case of (pre-)geometric structures.