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Ehud Hrushovski

Publications and source records attributed to Ehud Hrushovski.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
arXiv2022

The Elementary Theory of the Frobenius Automorphisms

A Frobenius difference field is an algebraically closed field of characteristic $p>0$, enriched with a symbol for $x \mapsto x^{p^m}$. We study a sentence or formula in the language of fields with a distinguished automorphism, interpreted in Frobenius difference fields with $p$ or $m$ tending to infinity. In particular, a decision procedure is found to determine when a sentence is true in almost every Frobenius difference field. This generalizes Cebotarev's density theorem and Weil's Riemann hypothesis for curves (both in qualitative versions), but hinges on a result going slightly beyond the latter. The setting for the proof is the geometry of difference varieties of transformal dimension zero; these generalize algebraic varieties, and are shown to have a rich structure, only partly explicated here. Some applications are given, in particular to finite simple groups, and to the Jacobi bound for difference equations.

math.LO↗
arXiv2022

Beyond the Lascar Group

We work in a first-order setting where structures are spread out over a metric space, with quantification allowed only over bounded subsets. Assuming a doubling property for the metric space, we define a canonical {\em core} $\mathcal{J}$ associated to such a theory, a locally compact structure that embeds into the type space over any model. The automorphism group of $\mathcal{J}$, modulo certain infinitesimal automorphisms, is a locally compact group $\mathcal{G}$. The automorphism groups of models of the theory are related with $\mathcal{G}$, not in general via a homomorphism, but by a {\em quasi-homomorphism}, respecting multiplication up to a certain canonical compact error set. This fundamental structure is applied to describe the nature of approximate subgroups. Specifically we obtain a full classification of (properly) approximate lattices of $SL_n({\mathbb{R}})$ or $SL_n({\mathbb{Q}}_p)$.

math.LO↗
arXiv2022

Definability patterns and their symmetries

We identify a canonical structure J associated to any first-order theory, the {\it space of definability patterns}. It generalizes the imaginary algebraic closure in a stable theory, and the hyperimaginary bounded closure in simple theories. J admits a compact topology, not necessarily Hausdorff, but the Hausdorff part can already be bigger than the Kim-Pillay space. Using it, we obtain simple proofs of a number of results previously obtained using topological dynamics, but working one power set level lower. The Lascar neighbour relation is represented by a canonical relation on the compact Hausdorff part J; the general Lascar group can be read off this compact structure. This gives concrete form to results of Krupiński, Newelski, Pillay, Rzepecki and Simon, who used topological dynamics applied to large models to show the existence of compact groups mapping onto the Lascar group. In an appendix, we show that a construction analogous to the above but using infinitary patterns recovers the Ellis group of \cite{kns}, and use this to sharpen the cardinality bound for their Ellis group from $\beth_5$ to $\beth_3$, showing the latter is optimal. There is also a close connection to another school of topological dynamics, set theory and model theory, centered around the Kechris-Pestov-Todor\v cević correspondence. We define the Ramsey property for a first order theory, and show - as a simple application of the construction applied to an auxiliary theory - that any theory admits a canonical minimal Ramsey expansion. This was envisaged and proved for certain Fraissé classes, first by Kechris-Pestov-Todor\v cević for expansions by orderings, then by Melleray, Nguyen Van Thé, Tsankov and Zucker for more general expansions.

math.LO↗
arXiv2021

Amenability, connected components, and definable actions

We study amenability of definable and topological groups. Among our main technical tools is an elaboration on and strengthening of the Massicot-Wagner version of the stabilizer theorem, and some results around measures. As an application we show that if $G$ is an amenable topological group, then the Bohr compactification of $G$ coincides with a certain "weak Bohr compactification" introduced in [24]. Formally, $G^{00}_{topo} = G^{000}_{topo}$. We also prove wide generalizations of this result, implying in particular its extension to a "definable-topological" context, confirming the main conjectures from [24]. We introduce $\bigvee$-definable group topologies on a given $\emptyset$-definable group $G$ (including group topologies induced by type-definable subgroups as well as uniformly definable group topologies), and prove that the existence of a mean on the lattice of closed, type-definable subsets of $G$ implies (under some assumption) that $cl(G^{00}_M) = cl(G^{000}_M)$ for any model $M$. We study the relationship between definability of an action of a definable group on a compact space, weakly almost periodic actions, and stability. We conclude that for any group $G$ definable in a sufficiently saturated structure, every definable action of $G$ on a compact space supports a $G$-invariant probability measure. This gives negative solutions to some questions and conjectures from [22] and [24]. We give an example of a $\emptyset$-definable approximate subgroup $X$ in a saturated extension of the group $\mathbb{F}_2 \times \mathbb{Z}$ in a suitable language for which the $\bigvee$-definable group $H:=\langle X \rangle$ contains no type-definable subgroup of bounded index. This refutes a conjecture by Wagner and shows that the Massicot-Wagner approach to prove that a locally compact "model" exists for each approximate subgroup does not work in general.

math.LO↗
arXiv2021

Ax's theorem with an additive character

Motivated by Emmanuel Kowalski's exponential sums over definable sets in finite fields, we generalize Ax's theorem on pseudo-finite fields to a continuous-logic setting allowing for an additive character. The role played by Weil's Riemann hypothesis for curves over finite fields is taken by the `Weil bound' on exponential sums. Subsequent model-theoretic developments, including simplicity and the Chatzidakis-Van den Dries-Macintyre definable measures, also generalize. Analytically, we have the following consequence: consider the algebra of functions $\Ff_p^n \to \Cc$ obtained from the additive characters and the characteristic functions of subvarieties by pre- or post-composing with polynomials, applying min and sup operators to the real part, and averaging over subvarieties. Then any element of this class can be approximated, uniformly in the variables and in the prime $p$, by a polynomial expression in $Ψ_p(ξ)$ at certain algebraic functions $ξ$ of the variables, where $Ψ(n \mod p) = exp(2 πi n/p)$ is the standard additive character.

math.LO↗
arXiv2021

Definable Equivariant Retractions in Non-Archimedean Geometry

For $G$ an algebraic group definable over a model of $\operatorname{ACVF}$, or more generally a definable subgroup of an algebraic group, we study the stable completion $\widehat{G}$ of $G$, as introduced by Loeser and the second author. For $G$ connected and stably dominated, assuming $G$ commutative or that the valued field is of equicharacteristic 0, we construct a pro-definable $G$-equivariant strong deformation retraction of $\widehat{G}$ onto the generic type of $G$. For $G=S$ a semiabelian variety, we construct a pro-definable $S$-equivariant strong deformation retraction of $\widehat{S}$ onto a definable group which is internal to the value group. We show that, in case $S$ is defined over a complete valued field $K$ with value group a subgroup of $\mathbb{R}$, this map descends to an $S(K)$-equivariant strong deformation retraction of the Berkovich analytification $S^{\mathrm{an}}$ of $S$ onto a piecewise linear group, namely onto the skeleton of $S^{\mathrm{an}}$. This yields a construction of such a retraction without resorting to an analytic (non-algebraic) uniformization of $S$. Furthermore, we prove a general result on abelian groups definable in an NIP theory: any such group $G$ is a directed union of $\infty$-definable subgroups which all stabilize a generically stable Keisler measure on $G$.

math.LO↗
arXiv2018

Polynomial Invariants for Affine Programs

We exhibit an algorithm to compute the strongest polynomial (or algebraic) invariants that hold at each location of a given affine program (i.e., a program having only non-deterministic (as opposed to conditional) branching and all of whose assignments are given by affine expressions). Our main tool is an algebraic result of independent interest: given a finite set of rational square matrices of the same dimension, we show how to compute the Zariski closure of the semigroup that they generate.

cs.LO↗
arXiv2017

Definable equivalence relations and zeta functions of groups

We prove that the theory of the $p$-adics ${\mathbb Q}_p$ admits elimination of imaginaries provided we add a sort for ${\rm GL}_n({\mathbb Q}_p)/{\rm GL}_n({\mathbb Z}_p)$ for each $n$. We also prove that the elimination of imaginaries is uniform in $p$. Using $p$-adic and motivic integration, we deduce the uniform rationality of certain formal zeta functions arising from definable equivalence relations. This also yields analogous results for definable equivalence relations over local fields of positive characteristic. The appendix contains an alternative proof, using cell decomposition, of the rationality (for fixed $p$) of these formal zeta functions that extends to the subanalytic context. As an application, we prove rationality and uniformity results for zeta functions obtained by counting twist isomorphism classes of irreducible representations of finitely generated nilpotent groups; these are analogous to similar results of Grunewald, Segal and Smith and of du Sautoy and Grunewald for subgroup zeta functions of finitely generated nilpotent groups.

math.LO↗
arXiv2016

On subgroups of semi-abelian varieties defined by difference equations

Consider the algebraic dynamics on a torus T=G_m^n given by a matrix M in GL_n(Z). Assume that the characteristic polynomial of M is prime to all polynomials X^m-1. We show that any finite equivariant map from another algebraic dynamics onto (T,M) arises from a finite isogeny T \to T. A similar and more general statement is shown for Abelian and semi-abelian varieties. In model-theoretic terms, our result says: Working in an existentially closed difference field, we consider a definable subgroup B of a semi-abelian variety A; assume B does not have a subgroup isogenous to A'(F) for some twisted fixed field F, and some semi-Abelian variety A'. Then B with the induced structure is stable and stably embedded. This implies in particular that for any n>0, any definable subset of B^n is a Boolean combination of cosets of definable subgroups of B^n. This result was already known in characteristic 0 where indeed it holds for all commutative algebraic groups ([CH]). In positive characteristic, the restriction to semi-abelian varieties is necessary.

math.LO↗
arXiv2014

Imaginaries and definable types in algebraically closed valued fields

The text is based on notes from a class entitled {\em Model Theory of Berkovich Spaces}, given at the Hebrew University in the fall term of 2009, and retains the flavor of class notes. It includes an exposition of material from \cite{hhmcrelle}, \cite{hhm} and \cite{HL}, regarding definable types in the model completion of the theory of valued fields, and the classification of imaginary sorts. The latter is given a new proof, based on definable types rather than invariant types, and on the notion of {\em generic reparametrization}. I also try to bring out the relation to the geometry of \cite{HL} - stably dominated definable types as the model theoretic incarnation of a Berkovich point.

math.LO↗
arXiv2013

The value ring of geometric motivic integration and the Iwahori Hecke algebra of SL_2

In \cite{HK}, an integration theory for valued fields was developed with a Grothendieck group approach. It was shown that the semiring of semi-algebraic sets with measure preserving morphisms is isomorphic to a certain semiring formed out of twisted varieties over the residue field and rational polytopes over the value group. With a view to representation-theoretic applications, we require a simpler description of the possible values of the integration, and in particular natural homomorphisms into fields. In the present paper we obtain such results after tensoring with Q. Since this operation trivializes the full semiring, we restrict to bounded sets. We show that the resulting Q-algebra is generated by its one-dimensional part. In the "geometric" case, i.e. working over an elementary submodel as a base, we determine the structure precisely. As a corollary we obtain useful canonical homomorphisms in the general case. In the appendix we define the Iwahori Hecke algebra of $SL_2$ over an algebraically closed valued field using motivic integration (to replace the Haar measure) and study its structure.

math.AG↗
arXiv2012

Berkovich spaces embed in Euclidean spaces

Let K be a field that is complete with respect to a nonarchimedean absolute value such that K has a countable dense subset. We prove that the Berkovich analytification V^an of any d-dimensional quasi-projective scheme V over K embeds in R^{2d+1}. If, moreover, the value group of K is dense in R_{>0} and V is a curve, then we describe the homeomorphism type of V^an by using the theory of local dendrites.

math.AG↗
arXiv2012

On the canonical base property

We give an example of a finite rank, in fact aleph-1 categorical theory where the CBP (canonical base property) does not hold. We include a "group-like" example. We also prove, in a finite Morley rank context, if all definable Galois groups are "rigid" then the theory has the CBP (in a strong sense).

math.LO↗
arXiv2012

On algebraic closure in pseudofinite fields

We study the automorphism group of the algebraic closure of a substructure A of a pseudo-finite field F. We show that the behavior of this group, even when A is large, depends essentially on the roots of unity in F. For almost all completions of the theory of pseudo-finite fields we show that algebraic closure agrees with definable closure, as soon as A contains the relative algebraic closure of the prime field.

math.LO↗
arXiv2011

An invariant for difference field extensions

In this paper we introduce a new invariant (the distant degree) for difference field extensions of finite transcendence degree, and we explore some of its properties. We also discuss a generalisation of this invariant and of the limit degree to groups with an automorphism.

math.LO↗
arXiv2011

Stable group theory and approximate subgroups

We note a parallel between some ideas of stable model theory and certain topics in finite combinatorics related to the sum-product phenomenon. For a simple linear group G, we show that a finite subset X with |X X \^{-1} X |/ |X| bounded is close to a finite subgroup, or else to a subset of a proper algebraic subgroup of G. We also find a connection with Lie groups, and use it to obtain some consequences suggestive of topological nilpotence. Combining these methods with Gromov's proof, we show that a finitely generated group with an approximate subgroup containing any given finite set must be nilpotent-by-finite. Model-theoretically we prove the independence theorem and the stabilizer theorem in a general first-order setting.

math.LO↗
arXiv2011

Affine Nash groups over real closed fields

We prove that a semialgebraically connected affine Nash group over a real closed field R is Nash isogenous to the semialgebraically connected component of the group H(R) of R-points of some algebraic group H defined over R. In the case when R is the field of real numbers this result was claimed in the paper "Groups definable in local fields and pseudofinite fields", Israel J. Math. 85 (1994) by the same two authors, but a mistake in the proof was recently found, and the new proof we obtained has the advantage of being valid over an arbitrary real closed field. We also extend the result to not necessarily connected affine Nash groups over arbitrary real closed fields.

math.AG↗