Bases for Aronszajn trees (Q1062980)

The author defines the notion of a base for an arbitrary tree of height \(\omega_ 1\) to be a collection of subtrees with the property that every subtree contains an element of the base. This notion generalizes that of non-Souslin base defined only for an anti-Souslin tree by the reviewer (1) [ibid. 6, 177-185 (1982; Zbl 0548.03027)]. A question asked in (1) was whether \(\diamond^+\) were necessary to show the existence of a special Aronszajn tree with no base of size \(\aleph_ 1\). Answering this, the author proves that \(\diamond\) is not enough for the purpose, by showing that every Aronszajn tree has a base of size \(\aleph_ 1\) and \(\diamond\) holds in the model resulting from Levy collapse of an inaccessible cardinal to \(\omega_ 2\). But he shows also that such a tree exists whenever a Kurepa tree exists. The author studies further some aspects of the notion, and leaves the problem: Is it consistent with \(2^{\aleph_ 0}=\aleph_ 1\) that no Aronszajn tree has a base of cardinality \(\aleph_ 1?\)