The Steel hierarchy of ordinal valued Borel mappings (Q4457731)

If \((Q,{\leq})\) is a partial order we define a preorder \(\leq^*\) on the set \(Q^*\) of Borel functions from \(\omega^\omega\) to \(Q\) by setting \(\phi \leq^* \psi\) if there exists a continuous function \(f: \omega^\omega \to \omega^\omega\) such that \(\phi(x) \leq \psi(f(x))\) for every \(x \in \omega^\omega\). \textit{F. van Engelen}, \textit{A. W. Miller} and \textit{J. Steel} [Contemp. Math. 65, 199--222 (1987; Zbl 0646.03045)] proved that if \((Q,{\leq})\) is a better quasi-order then \((Q^*,\leq^*)\) is also a better quasi-order. This result generalizes at once the Martin-Monk theorem stating that the Wadge hierarchy on Borel sets is well-founded (this is the case when \(Q\) consists of two incomparable elements) and the result obtained by Moschovakis in the context of his work on the First Periodicity Theorem (this is the case when when \(Q\) is an ordinal number). In the latter case, \textit{Y. N. Moschovakis} actually showed [Descriptive set theory. Amsterdam: North-Holland (1980; Zbl 0433.03025), \S 6B] that \(\leq^*\) is a pre-well-order. In a previous paper [J. Symb. Log. 66, 56--86 (2001; Zbl 0979.03039)], the author studied in depth the Borel-Wadge hierarchy. In the present paper he deals with the case originally studied by Moschovakis, which, following Chalons, he calls the Steel hierarchy. The main result is Theorem 7, where the height of the Steel hierarchy for \(Q=\eta\) is computed for every ordinal \(\eta>0\) (in his Ph.d.\ thesis Wadge showed that the height of the Wadge hierarchy on Borel sets is \(V_{\omega_1} (2)\), where \(V_\alpha\) is the \(\alpha\)th Veblen function of base \(\omega_1\): \(V_\alpha\) is the function from the nonzero ordinals to the ordinals that enumerates all ordinals closed under sum, suprema of cofinality \(\omega\) and all \(V_\beta\) with \(\beta<\alpha\)): if \(\eta = \omega \cdot \delta + n\) this height is \(n\) when \(\delta=0\) and \(V_{\omega_1} (1+\delta) + n\) otherwise. The proof uses \textit{C. Chalons}'s notion of a target of an element of \(Q^*\) when \(Q\) is an ordinal [C. R. Acad. Sci., Paris, Sér. I, Math. 331, 501--506 (2000; Zbl 0957.03050)].