\(\alpha \)-minimal Banach spaces (Q413211)

In [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 79, 241--246 (1980; Zbl 0438.46005)], \textit{J. Bourgain} gave the following important definition that quantitatively measures the embeddability of a Banach space \(X\) with Schauder basis \((x_n)_{n \in \mathbb{N}}\) into a Banach space \(Y\): Let \(K \geq 1\), the set \[ T((x_n)_n,Y,K) = \{ (y_1, \dots , y_k) \subset Y : (y_i)_{i=1}^k \text{ is \(K\)-equivalent to } (x_i)_{i=1}^k\} \] is a tree ordered by initial segment inclusion. It is easy to see that this tree is \textit{ill-founded} if and only if the space \(X\) \(K\)-embeds into \(Y\). There is a natural way to assign a countable ordinal to a well-founded tree and consequently define an ordinal rank on the collection of all well-founded trees of this kind. The embeddability rank of \(X\) into \(Y\) is defined by \[ \text{Emb}((x_n)_n, Y) = \sup_{K \geqslant 1} \text{rank } T((x_n)_n, Y,K) \] If for some countable ordinal \(\alpha\), \(\text{Emb}((x_n)_n, Y) \geqslant \alpha\), we say that \(X\) \(\alpha\)-embeds into \(Y\). A Banach space is said to be minimal if it embeds into any of its infinite dimensional subspaces. The paper under review is concerned with the following refinement of the notion of minimality: Let \(\alpha\) be a countable ordinal. A Banach space \(X\) with a Schauder basis \((x_n)\) is \(\alpha\)-minimal if any block subspace \(Z\) of \(X\) \(\alpha\)-embeds into any infinite dimensional subspace \(Y\) of \(X\). A more recent notion studied in [\textit{V. Ferenczi} and \textit{C. Rosendal}, J. Funct. Anal. 257, No. 1, 149--193 (2009; Zbl 1181.46004)], which that is antipodal to minimality, is that of tightness. Also, \(\alpha\)-tightness: A Banach space \(X\) with a basis \((x_n)_{ n \in \mathbb{N}}\) is \(\alpha\)-tight if for any block basis \((y_n)\) of \(X\) there is a sequence \((I_i)_{i=1}^\infty\) of successive intervals of \(\mathbb{N}\) such that for any infinite subset \(A \subset \mathbb{N}\) \[ \text{Emb}\bigg((y_n), \bigg[ x_n : n \not\in \bigcup_{j \in A} I_j \bigg]\bigg) \leqslant \alpha. \] Let \(X\) be a Banach space with a Schauder basis. The author proves the following theorems: {\parindent=6mm \begin{itemize}\item[1.] If \(X\) has no minimal subspace then there is a block subspace that is \(\alpha\)-tight for some countable ordinal \(\alpha\). \item[2.] Let \(\alpha\) be a countable ordinal. Then there is a block subspace that is either \(\omega\alpha\)-tight or \(\alpha+1\) minimal. \item[3.] \(X\) either has a minimal subspace or a block subspace that is \(\alpha\)-minimal and \(\omega\alpha\)-tight for some countable ordinal \(\alpha\). \end{itemize}} Several other interesting corollaries and theorems are also proved. The proofs of the main results use Ramsey theory for block bases and methods from descriptive set theory. The paper is quite well-written and well motivated. The author leaves open the interesting problem as to whether there are \(\alpha\)-minimal or \(\omega\alpha\)-tight spaces for unboundedly many \(\alpha < \omega_1\). We note that this work is a continuation of the classification program initiated by \textit{W. T. Gowers} [Ann. Math. (2) 156, No. 3, 797--833 (2002; Zbl 1030.46005)] and extended over several recent papers by the author and V. Ferenczi.