Higher Independence

Publication date: 25 September 2019

Abstract: We study higher analogues of the classical independence number on

o m e g a

. For

k a p p a

regular uncountable, we denote by

i (k a p p a)

the minimal size of a maximal

k a p p a

-independent family. We establish ZFC relations between

i (k a p p a)

and the standard higher analogues of some of the classical cardinal characteristics, e.g.

m a t h f r a k r (k a p p a) l e q m a t h f r a k i (k a p p a)

and

m a t h f r a k d (k a p p a) l e q m a t h f r a k i (k a p p a)

. For

k a p p a

measurable, assuming that

2^{k} a p p a = k a p p a^{+}

we construct a maximal

k a p p a

-independent family which remains maximal after the

k a p p a

-support product of

l a m b d a

many copies of

k a p p a

-Sacks forcing. Thus, we show the consistency of

k a p p a^{+} = m a t h f r a k d (k a p p a) = m a t h f r a k i (k a p p a) < 2^{k} a p p a

. We conclude the paper with interesting open questions and discuss difficulties regarding other natural approaches to higher independence.

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