Measurability in modules (Q403409)

Motivated by the example of finite fields and quasi-finite fields, \textit{D. Macpherson} and \textit{C. Steinhorn} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 360, No. 1, 411--448 (2008; Zbl 1127.03026)] introduced a dimension/measure theory for certain classes of finite structures. This concept was developed further in [\textit{R. Elwes} and \textit{D. Macpherson}, Lond. Math. Soc. Lect. Note Ser. 350, 125--159 (2008; Zbl 1172.03020)]. This leads to a concept of a dimension-measure pair for certain kinds of related infinite structures, referred to in this article as \textit{Macpherson-Steinhorn measure} or \textit{MS-measure} for short. The author investigates MS-measurability for theories of modules. As might be expected, the measurability of a theory of modules is determined by the definability of a suitable measure function on the positive-primitive definable subgroups. The technical details of verifying this fact are surprisingly intricate, occupying some 9 pages of text, and they will reward the reader in understanding how complicated properties can be lifted from the family of pp-definable subgroups to all definable sets. As an application, the author gives a classification of all MS-measurable abelian groups. The final section compares the MS-measure on modules to the measure on groups defined in [\textit{L. van den Dries} and \textit{V. C. Lopes}, J. Symb. Log. 76, No. 1, 209--226 (2011; Zbl 1220.03024)].