arXiv subjects

Meng-Che "Turbo" Ho

Publications and source records attributed to Meng-Che "Turbo" Ho.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Free Left Distributive Algebras and a Canonical Extension

Assuming a large cardinal hypothesis, Laver gave a representation of the monogenerated free left distributive algebra (LDA) using elementary embeddings and used this representation to prove many algebraic results. Some of these results were later proved by Dehornoy in ZFC, without the large cardinal hypotheses. However, there is an important algebraic result whose consistency strength is unknown. (See Laver (1995) and Dougherty & Jech (1997).) Recent results [arXiv:2508.02244] extend the connection between elementary embeddings of set theory and free LDAs to the many-generated case. Assuming large cardinals, we prove two results. First, we prove that finitely-generated free LDAs with distinct numbers of generators are $Σ_1$-elementarily equivalent but not $Σ_2$-elementarily equivalent. We also prove a partial structural analogue to Laver's representation of LDAs. We construct an extension of the monogenerated free LDA where application by any fixed element is an elementary embedding of LDAs. We argue that this extension is canonical by demonstrating homogeneity and universality properties. These results also provide additional examples of algebraic properties provable from large cardinals without known proofs from the standard axioms of set theory.

math.LO↗

arXiv2026

Isomorphism relations on classes of c.e. algebras

We investigate the complexity of isomorphism relations for classes of finitely generated and n-generated computably enumerable (c.e.) algebras, presented via c.e. presentations -- that is, as quotients of term algebras over decidable sets of generators by c.e. congruences. Our goal is to develop a systematic framework for analyzing such isomorphism problems from a computability-theoretic perspective. To compare their complexity, we employ the notion of computable reducibility, measuring these relations against canonical benchmarks on c.e. sets, such as =^{ce}, E_0^{ce}, and the ordinal-indexed family E_min(α). A central insight of our work is the interplay between the algebraic structure and the algorithmic complexity: we show that if every algebra in a class satisfies the ascending chain condition on its congruence lattice, then the corresponding isomorphism relation is computably reducible to =^{ce}. We also apply this framework to a range of concrete cases. In particular, we analyze the isomorphism relations for finitely generated commutative semigroups, monoids, and groups, positioning them within the broader landscape of classification problems.

math.LO↗

arXiv2025

First-order theory of torsion-free Tarski monsters

We develop methods to control the first-order theory of groups arising as certain direct limits of torsion-free hyperbolic groups, answering several questions in the literature. We construct simple torsion-free Tarski monsters $Γ$ (non-abelian groups whose non-trivial, proper subgroups are infinite cyclic) that are $\exists \forall \exists$-elementarily embedded into $Γ\ast \mathbf{Z}$. In particular, such $Γ$ have the same two-quantifier theory as $Γ\ast \mathbf{Z}$, and hence the same positive theory as a non-abelian free group. All previously known examples of groups with the same positive theory as the free group admit a non-elementary action on a hyperbolic space, while our examples cannot act on a hyperbolic space with a loxodromic element. Along the way, we solve the one-quantifier Knight conjecture for random quotients of arbitrary torsion-free, non-elementary, hyperbolic groups in the few-relator model.

math.GR↗

arXiv2024

Scott analysis, linear orders and almost periodic functions

For any limit ordinal $λ$, we construct a linear order $L_λ$ whose Scott complexity is $Σ_{λ+1}$. This completes the classification of the possible Scott sentence complexities of linear orderings. Previously, there was only one known construction of any structure (of any signature) with Scott complexity $Σ_{λ+1}$, and our construction gives new examples, e.g., rigid structures, of this complexity. Moreover, we can construct the linear orders $L_λ$ so that not only does $L_λ$ have Scott complexity $Σ_{λ+1}$, but there are continuum-many structures $M \equiv_λL_λ$ and all such structures also have Scott complexity $Σ_{λ+1}$. In contrast, we demonstrate that there is no structure (of any signature) with Scott complexity $Π_{λ+1}$ that is only $λ$-equivalent to structures with Scott complexity $Π_{λ+1}$. Our construction is based on functions $f \colon \mathbb{Z}\to \mathbb{N}\cup \{\infty\}$ which are almost periodic but not periodic, such as those arising from shifts of the $p$-adic valuations.

math.LO↗

arXiv2024

Algorithmic aspects of left-orderings of solvable Baumslag--Solitar groups via its dynamical realization

We answer a question of Calderoni and Clay by showing that the conjugation equivalence relation of left orderings of the Baumslag-Solitar groups $\mathrm{BS}(1,n)$ is hyperfinite for any $n$. Our proof relies on a classification of $\mathrm{BS}(1,n)$'s left-orderings via its one-dimensional dynamical realizations. We furthermore use the effectiveness of the dynamical realizations of $\mathrm{BS}(1,n)$ to study algorithmic properties of the left-orderings on $\mathrm{BS}(1,n)$.

math.LO↗

arXiv2024

Torsion-free abelian groups of finite rank and fields of finite transcendence degree

Let $\operatorname{TFAb}_r$ be the class of torsion-free abelian groups of rank $r$, and let $\operatorname{FD}_r$ be the class of fields of characteristic $0$ and transcendence degree~$r$. We compare these classes using various notions. Considering Scott complexity of the structures in the classes and the complexity of the isomorphism relations on the classes, the classes seem very similar. Hjorth and Thomas showed that the $\operatorname{TFAb}_r$ are strictly increasing under Borel reducibility. This is not so for the classes $\operatorname{FD}_r$. Thomas and Velickovic showed that for sufficiently large $r$, the classes $\operatorname{FD}_r$ are equivalent under Borel reducibility. We try to compare the groups with the fields, using Borel reducibility, and also using some effective variants. We give functorial Turing computable embeddings of $\operatorname{TFAb}_r$ in $\operatorname{FD}_r$, and of $\operatorname{FD}_r$ in $\operatorname{FD}_{r+1}$. We show that under computable countable reducibility, $\operatorname{TFAb}_1$ lies on top among the classes we are considering. In fact, under computable countable reducibility, isomorphism on $\operatorname{TFAb}_1$ lies on top among equivalence relations that are effective $Σ_3$, along with the Vitali equivalence relation on $2^ω$.

math.LO↗

arXiv2024

Two results on complexities of decision problems of groups

We answer two questions on the complexities of decision problems of groups, each related to a classical result. First, C. Miller characterized the complexity of the isomorphism problem for finitely presented groups in 1971. We do the same for the isomorphism problem for recursively presented groups. Second, the fact that every Turing degree appears as the degree of the word problem of a finitely presented group is shown independently by multiple people in the 1960s. We answer the analogous question for degrees of ceers instead of Turing degrees. We show that the set of ceers which are computably equivalent to a finitely presented group is $Σ^0_3$-complete, which is the maximal possible complexity.

math.LO↗

arXiv2024

Algorithmically finite, universal, and $*$-universal groups

The study of the word problems of groups dates back to Dehn in 1911, and has been a central topic of study in both group theory and computability theory. As most naturally occurring presentations of groups are recursive, their word problems can be thought of as a computably enumerable equivalence relation (ceer). In this paper, we study the word problem of groups in the framework of ceer degrees, introducing a new metric with which to study word problems. This metric is more refined than the classical context of Turing degrees. Classically, every Turing degree is realized as the word problem of some c.e. group, but this is not true for ceer degrees. This motivates us to look at the classical constructions and show that there is a group whose word problem is not universal, but becomes universal after taking any nontrivial free product, which we call $*$-universal. This shows that existing constructions of the Higman embedding theorem do not preserve ceer degrees. We also study the index set of various classes of groups defined by their properties as a ceer: groups whose word problems are dark (equivalently, algorithmically finite as defined by Miasnikov and Osin), universal, and $*$-universal groups.

math.LO↗

arXiv2022

Free structures and limiting density

Gromov asked what a typical (finitely presented) group looks like, and he suggested a way to make the question precise in terms of limiting density. The typical finitely generated group is known to share some important properties with the non-abelian free groups. We ask Gromov's question more generally, for structures in an arbitrary algebraic variety (in the sense of universal algebra), with presentations of a specific form. We focus on elementary properties. We give examples illustrating different behaviors of the limiting density. Based on the examples, we identify sufficient conditions for the elementary first-order theory of the free structure to match that of the typical structure; i.e., a sentence is true in the free structure iff it has limiting density 1.

math.LO↗

arXiv2020

Rational growth in torus bundle groups of odd trace

A group is said to hae a rational growth with respect to the generating set if the growth series is a rational polynomial. It was shown by Parry that a subset of torus bundle groups exhibits rational growth. We generalize this result to other torus bundle groups.

math.GR↗

arXiv2019

The conjugacy growth of the soluble Baumslag-Solitar groups

In this paper we give asymptotics for the conjugacy growth of the soluble Baumslag-Solitar groups $BS(1,k)$, $k\geq 2$, with respect to the standard generating set, by providing a complete description of geodesic conjugacy representatives. We show that the conjugacy growth series for these groups are transcendental, and give formulas for the series. As a result of our computation we also establish that in each $BS(1,k)$ the conjugacy and standard growth rates are equal.

math.GR↗

arXiv2019

Word Maps in Finite Simple Groups

Elements of the free group define interesting maps, known as word maps, on groups. It was previously observed by Lubotzky that every subset of a finite simple group that is closed under endomorphisms occurs as the image of some word map. We improve upon this result by showing that the word in question can be chosen to be in any $v(\textbf{F}_n)$ provided that $v$ is not a law on the finite simple group in question. In addition, we provide an example of a word $w$ that witnesses the chirality of the Mathieu group $M_{11}$. The paper concludes by demonstrating that not every subset of a group closed under endomorphisms occurs as the image of a word map.

math.GR↗

arXiv2018

Characterizations of Cancellable Groups

An abelian group $A$ is said to be cancellable if whenever $A \oplus G$ is isomorphic to $A \oplus H$, $G$ is isomorphic to $H$. We show that the index set of cancellable rank 1 torsion-free abelian groups is $Π^0_4$ $m$-complete, showing that the classification by Fuchs and Loonstra cannot be simplified. For arbitrary non-finitely generated groups, we show that the cancellation property is $Π^1_1$ $m$-hard; we know of no upper bound, but we conjecture that it is $Π^1_2$ $m$-complete.

math.LO↗

arXiv2018

The Probability Distribution of Word Maps on Finite Groups

Word maps provide a wealth of information about finite groups. We examine the connection between the probability distribution induced by a word map and the underlying structure of a finite group. We show that a finite group is nilpotent if and only if every surjective word map has fibers of uniform size. Moreover, we show that probability distributions themselves are sufficient to identify nilpotent groups, and these same distributions can be used to determine abelian groups up to isomorphism. In addition we answer a question of Amit and Vishne.

math.GR↗

arXiv2017

The Word Problem of $\mathbb{Z}^n$ Is a Multiple Context-Free Language

The \emph{word problem} of a group $G = \langle Σ\rangle$ can be defined as the set of formal words in $Σ^*$ that represent the identity in $G$. When viewed as formal languages, this gives a strong connection between classes of groups and classes of formal languages. For example, Anisimov showed that a group is finite if and only if its word problem is a regular language, and Muller and Schupp showed that a group is virtually-free if and only if its word problem is a context-free language. Above this, not much was known, until Salvati showed recently that the word problem of $\mathbb{Z}^2$ is a multiple context-free language, giving first such example. We generalize Salvati's result to show that the word problem of $\mathbb{Z}^n$ is a multiple context-free language for any $n$.

cs.FL↗