Sandwiches of ages (Q5935998)

The age of a relational structure \(R\) is the set \({\mathcal A}(R)\) of finite restrictions of \(R\) considered up to isomorphism. This set is partially ordered by the inclusion \(\subseteq\). Let \(\mu= (m_i)_{i\in I}\) be any family of nonnegative integers \(m_i\). A relational structure on a set \(E\) with signature (or arity) \(\mu\) is a pair \(M= (E,(R_i)_{i\in I})\) in which each \(R_i\) is an \(m_i\)-ary relation with base \(E\). The set which is formed by all types of finite \(\mu\)-ary relational structures is denoted by \(\Omega_\mu\). Then the word ``age'' is used for ideals of \(\Omega_\mu\), and \({\mathcal D}(\Omega_\mu)\) is the (ordered) set of ages which are contained in \(\Omega_\mu\). Given \({\mathcal S}\subseteq{\mathcal C}\subseteq \Omega_\mu\), the authors define \({\mathcal D}({\mathcal S},{\mathcal C}):= \{{\mathcal A}\in{\mathcal D}(\Omega_\mu):{\mathcal S}\subseteq{\mathcal A}\subseteq{\mathcal C}\}\). This set is called a sandwhich of ages whenever \({\mathcal S}\) and \({\mathcal C}\) are two ages. A lot of theorems on the posets \({\mathcal D}({\mathcal S},{\mathcal C})\) are established. A main result is: If \({\mathcal D}({\mathcal S},{\mathcal C})\) is infinite, then it contains an infinite chain. The kernel of a relation \(R\) is defined as the set of elements \(a\) of the domain \(\text{Dom}(R)\) for which the age of the restriction of \(R\) to \(\text{Dom}(R)\setminus\{a\}\) is strictly included in the age of \(R\). Relations with empty kernel are called inexhaustible. Then ages \({\mathcal A}\) are considered for which \({\mathcal D}({\mathcal A})\) is well-founded -- that means: Every descending chain is finite. Another main theorem states that among these ages those with finite kernel are determined by inexhaustible ages whose height differs from the height of \({\mathcal A}\) by an integer.