No interesting sequential groups (Q2401558)

In a sequential space the closure of a set is obtained by iterating the operation of adding limits of convergent sequences: \(A_0=A\), \(A_{\alpha+1}\)~is obtained by adding all limits of convergent sequences from~\(A_\alpha\) to \(A_\alpha\), and if \(\alpha\)~is a limit then \(A_\alpha=\bigcup_{\beta<\alpha}A_\beta\). For every set there is an ordinal \(\alpha\leq\omega_1\) such that \(A_\alpha\)~is equal to the closure of~\(A\). This gives rise to the notion of sequential order of a space~\(X\): the least ordinal~\(\alpha\) such that \(\text{cl}A=A_\alpha\) for all subsets of~\(X\). If that order is equal to~\(1\) then the space is said to be Fréchet-Urysohn. The author obtains the consistency of the statement that for all sequential topological groups the sequential order is equal to either~\(1\) or~\(\omega_1\). In the model all sequential countably compact groups are Fréchet-Urysohn, thus answering a question from~[\textit{D. Shakhmatov}, in: Recent progress in general topology II. Based on the Prague topological symposium, Prague, Czech Republic, August 19--25, 2001. Amsterdam: Elsevier. 463--484 (2002; Zbl 1029.54003)].