Vive la différence. II: The Ax-Kochen isomorphism theorem (Q1320039)

[For Part I see: Set theory of the continuum, Pap. Math. Sci. Res. Inst. Workshop, Berkeley/CA 1989, Math. Sci. Res. Inst. Publ. 26, 357-405 (1992; Zbl 0789.03035).] It is known that the continuum hypothesis implies that for any countable elementary equivalent structures \(\mathcal A\) and \(\mathcal B\) and any free ultrafilter \(\mathcal F\) on \(\omega\), \({\mathcal A}^ \omega/{\mathcal F}\) and \({\mathcal B}^ \omega/{\mathcal F}\) are isomorphic. This implies the Ax-Kochen results that the ultraproduct of the power series rings over prime fields \(\mathbb{F}_ p\) is isomorphic to the ultraproduct of the ring of \(p\)-adic integers. It was conjectured by Kim that such an isomorphism always exists for any free ultrafilter on \(\omega\). Here the author shows that the continuum hypothesis is really necessary. He gives a forcing construction involving trees to generate a free ultrafilter on \(\omega\) such that the corresponding ultraproducts cannot be isomorphic. The author answers a question of Keisler and Schmerl by showing that it is consistent with ZFC that \({\mathbb{R}^ \omega}/{\mathcal F}\) is Scott complete for some ultrafilter \(\mathcal F\). Further on the author shows that in any nonstandard model of Peano arithmetic there is a gap whose left and right cofinalities are equal.