Ramsey properties of finite posets (Q766149)

This article departs from the so-called Schmerl list [\textit{J. H. Schmerl}, Algebra Univers. 9, 317--321 (1979; Zbl 0423.06002)] of countable ultrahomogeneous partial orders, which gives rise to a list of classes of finite partial orders with the hereditary property, the joint embedding property and the amalgamation property. A class with these properties is called a Fraïssé class, and to each such class a unique limit structure is associated. Such a limit structure is called a Fraïssé structure. The automorphism group of a Fraïssé structure has a natural topology. Hence questions about flows and extreme amenability (i.e., when each minimal flow of the group is a trivial action) can be considered for the automorphism group of a Fraïssé structure. A class of finite structures has the Ramsey property if, for every integer \(k > 0\) and structures \(A\) and \(B\) from the class, there is a structure \(C\) in the class such that, whenever all substructures of \(C\) that are isomorphic with \(A\) are coloured with \(k\) colours, then there is a substructure \(B'\) of \(C\) such that \(B'\) is isomorphic to \(B\) and all substructures of \(B'\) that are isomorphic with \(A\) have the same colour. A property called the order property is also considered. \textit{A. S. Kechris, V. G. Pestov} and \textit{S. Todorcevic} [Geom. Funct. Anal. 15, No. 1, 106--189 (2005; Zbl 1084.54014)] have proved results that connect the notions of Ramsey property and order property of a class of finite structures with extreme amenability and minimal flows of the automorphism group of the Fraïssé structure associated with the class. For example, the automorphism group of the Fraïssé structure of the class is extremely amenable if and only if the class has the Ramsey property. In the paper under review, most of the classes of finite partial orders derived from the Schmerl list are classified according to whether they have, or do not have, the Ramsey property. The same is done for the order property. Combined with the results of Kechris et al. [loc. cit.] this gives information about (universal) minimal flows and extreme amenability of automorphism groups of the Fraïssé structures considered. In particular, new examples of extremely amenable groups are obtained, as well as new examples of metrizable universal minimal flows. The classification of classes of partial orders derived from the Schmerl list is continued in [the author, Order 29, No. 1, 31--47 (2012; Zbl 1254.03067)].