Cohen preservation and independence (Q6156422)

This nice article is a contribution to the study of cardinal invariants of the continuum. It deals with the invariant \(\mathfrak i\) which denotes the minimal size of a maximal independent family of inifinite sets of integers. Recall that a family \(\mathfrak I\) of infinite subsets of integers is \textit{independent} if given any two disjoint finite subsets \(F_0, F_1\) of \(\mathcal I\) the set \(\bigcap F_0\setminus \bigcup F_1\) is infinite, and it is \textit{maximal} if it is not properly contained in any other independent family. Continuing the work done previously by Shelah and others (see e.g. [\textit{S. Shelah}, Arch. Math. Logic 31, No. 6, 433--443 (1992; Zbl 0785.03029); \textit{D. Chodounský} et al., Arch. Math. Logic 58, No. 7--8, 1035--1051 (2019; Zbl 1455.03062)]), the authors study models of set theory where \(\mathfrak i<\mathfrak c\). In both of the articles mentioned above, a preservation theorem for special maximal independent families called \textit{selective} under countable support iteration of proper forcing notions is presented. A version of this preservation theorem is reproved here too. This is then used to show that \(\mathfrak i=\omega_1\) in the iterated \emph{Miller lite} model (see [\textit{S. Geschke}, Ann. Pure Appl. Logic 140, No. 1--3, 40--51 (2006; Zbl 1099.03036)]) and, moreover, that the independent family witnessing \(\mathfrak i=\omega_1\) can be chosen to be co-analytic. This, combined with the results of the article of Geschke [loc. cit,], provides a model where \(\mathfrak i=\mathfrak{hm}<\mathfrak l_{n,\omega}\) (see [Geschke, loc. cit.] for the definitions of the relevant cardinal invariants).