The core model for almost linear iterations (Q1602852)

Core models are one of the key technical tools for proving lower bounds of consistency strength in the large cardinal hierarchy. The first core model was constructed by \textit{A. Dodd} and \textit{R. Jensen} [Ann. Math. Logic 20, 43-75 (1981; Zbl 0457.03051)] and it was associated to the large cardinal strength of a measurable cardinal. Generalizations of the Dodd-Jensen construction due to \textit{P. Koepke} [Ph. D. Thesis, Freiburg i. Br. (1983)], \textit{W. J. Mitchell} [Math. Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 95, 229-260 (1984; Zbl 0539.03030)] and \textit{R. Jensen} [handwritten notes 1988-1990] yielded a good analysis of core model theory in the Dodd-Jensen style up to a strong cardinal. Building on work of \textit{D. A. Martin} and \textit{J. R. Steel} [J. Am. Math. Soc. 7, 1-73 (1994; Zbl 0808.03035)], \textit{W. J. Mitchell} and \textit{J. R. Steel} [Fine structure and iteration trees, Lecture Notes in Logic 3. Berlin: Springer-Verlag (1994; Zbl 0805.03042)] developed fine-structural inner models for Woodin cardinals, and \textit{J. R. Steel} [The core model iterability problem, Lecture Notes in Logic 8. Berlin: Springer-Verlag (1996; Zbl 0864.03035)] constructed a core model associated to the large cardinal strength of a Woodin cardinal. These constructions are technically different from the Dodd-Jensen approach. The most striking difference is that the Mitchell-Steel theory needs the additional assumption of a measurable cardinal to prove the existence of a core model. There is a conspicuous gap between the upper bound of the strength of Dodd-Jensen models (a strong cardinal) and the strength of the Mitchell-Steel models (a Woodin cardinal). One of the statements that fall into this gap is the statement called \textbf{VD\#12}. \textit{K. Hauser} and \textit{R.-D. Schindler} [Ann. Pure Appl. Logic 103, 109-153 (2000; Zbl 0961.03041)] computed the strength of \textbf{VD\#12} in the base theory ZFC \(+\) ``there is a measurable cardinal'' using the Mitchell-Steel core model. The strength of \textbf{VD\#12} is the same as that of ``there is a strictly increasing sequence \(\langle \kappa_i\); \(i\in\omega\rangle\) of \(\lambda^+\)-strong cardinals (where \(\lambda = \sup \{\kappa_i\); \(i\in\omega\}\))''. The paper under review is the published version of the author's Habilitationsschrift [Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (2001)]. Schindler combines ideas from the Dodd-Jensen approach and the Mitchell-Steel approach to develop the core model theory for the large cardinal strength of \textbf{VD\#12} in ZFC (i.e., without an additional measurable cardinal). As an application (\S 9), he derives the Steel-Hauser-Schindler consistency strength computation in the base theory ZFC.