On the spectrum of limit models (Q6918352)

This paper studies limit models in abstract elementary classes (AECs). Recall that a limit model \(M\) is the union of a continuous, universally increasing chain of models. A \((\lambda,\delta)\)-limit model specifies \(\delta\) to be the length of the chain, and each model to be of size \(\lambda\). In the superstable context (together with the amalgamation property), it is known that limit models of the same size are isomorhpic. The authors investigate the generalization to strictly stable cases, with extra assumptions.\N\NTheorem 3.1 concerns the isomorphism of long limit models (with high enough \(\mathrm{cf}(\delta\))). In details, let \(\mathbf{K}\) be an AEC stable in \(\lambda\), with the amalgamation property, joint-embedding property, no maximal models in \(\lambda\). Let \(\kappa<\lambda^+\) be a regular cardinal. Assume an independence relation on the \((\lambda,\geq\kappa)\)-limit models satisfies uniqueness, extension, non-forking amalgamation, \((\geq\kappa)\)-local character, and \((\lambda,\geq\kappa)\)-universal continuity. Given limit ordinals \(\delta_1,\delta_2<\lambda^+\) such that \(\kappa\leq \mathrm{cf}(\delta_1),\mathrm{cf}(\delta_2)\), models \(M,N_1,N_2\in\mathbf{K}_\lambda\) such that \(N_i\) is a \((\lambda,\delta_i)\)-limit model over \(M\), then \(N_1,N_2\) are isomorphic over \(M\).\N\NPrevious results by Boney, VanDieren and Vasey have explored long limit models using the notion of nonsplitting, \(\lambda\)-symmetry and towers (the latter were introduced by Villaveces and Shelah). This paper assumes a general indepenence relation instead of nonsplitting, and makes use of non-forking amalgamation instead of symmetry in the construction of towers. By Fact 2.21, symmetry in a nice enough independence relation implies non-forking amalgamation. Hence, Theorem 3.1 can be seen as weakening the hypothesis of previous results.\N\NTheorem 4.1 gives a counterexample for short limit models. Let \(\mathbf{K}\) be an \(\aleph_0\)-tame AEC stable in \(\lambda\), with the amalgamation property, joint-embedding property and no maximal models in \(\lambda\). Assume an independence relation on the \((\lambda,\geq\kappa)\)-limit models satisfies uniqueness, extension, \((\geq\kappa)\)-local character, and universal continuity (non-forking amalgamation is not assumed). Let \(\delta_1,\delta_2\) be limit ordinals such that \(\mathrm{cf}(\delta_1)\neq\mathrm{cf}(\delta_2)\) and \(\mathrm{cf}(\delta_1)\) is strictly less than a locality cardinal (see Definition 2.36), then a \((\lambda,\delta_1)\)-limit model is not isomorphic to a \((\lambda,\delta_2)\)-limit model. The proof of Theorem 4.1 is by contradiction: if they were isomorhpic, the locality cardinal would be at most \(\mathrm{cf}(\delta_1)).\)\N\NSection 5 combines the hypotheses from Section 3 and Section 4 to provide stability spectrum results using [\textit{S. Vasey}, J. Math. Log. 18, No. 2, Article ID 1850009, 36 p. (2018; Zbl 1522.03121)]. Section 6 provides applications to algebra.