On the model companion of partial differential fields with an automorphism (Q2630875)

The author establishes in this article the existence of a model companion DCF\(_{0,m} A\) (\(m\) is the number of commuting derivations) of the theory of characteristic zero partial differential fields with an automorphism. It has been know for a while that the theory of ordinary differential fields with an automorphism admits a model companion. However, the techniques used in the single derivation case do not generalized to the case of several derivations. It is also known that the theory of existentially closed partial differential fields with an automorphism has a geometric description [\textit{N. Guzy} and \textit{C. Rivière}, ``On existentially closed partial differential fields with an automorphism'', Preprint (2007)] similarly to that given for ACFA [\textit{Z. Chatzidakis} and \textit{E. Hrushovski}, Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 351, No. 8, 2997--3071 (1999; Zbl 0922.03054)]. However, the problem of whether these conditions can be expressed in a first order manner is still open and is closely related to the generalized Ritt problem concerning definability of differential irreducibility and differential dominance in definable families. The author successfully bypasses these difficult issues by proving a characterization of the existentially closed models in terms of characteristic set of prime differential ideals. Once the existence of DCF\(_{0,m} A\) is established, the author points out that it follows from the results in [\textit{Z. Chatzidakis} and \textit{A. Pillay}, Ann. Pure Appl. Logic 95, No. 1--3, 71--92 (1998; Zbl 0929.03043)] that each completion of DCF\(_{0,m}A\) is supersimple and satisfies the independence theorem over differential-difference fields that are differentially closed. Following the ideas in a paper by \textit{A. Pillay} and \textit{M. Ziegler} [Sel. Math., New Ser. 9, No. 4, 579--599 (2003; Zbl 1060.12003)], the author develops a notion of \((\Delta, \sigma)\)-jet space for finite-dimensional \((\Delta, \sigma)\)-varieties. These jet spaces are then used to establish the canonical base property for finite-dimensional types. An application of the argument in [\textit{A. Pillay}, Fundam. Math. 174, No. 2, 187--192 (2002; Zbl 1004.03032)] shows that the canonical base property implies the Zilber dichotomy.