We prove here:Theorem. LetT be a countable complete superstable non ω-stable theory with fewer than continuum many countable models. Then there is a definable groupG with locally modular regular generics, such thatG is not connected-by-finite and any type inG eq orthogonal to the generics has Morley rank.Corollary. LetT be a countable complete superstable theory in which no infinite group is definable. ThenT has either at most countably many, or exactly continuum many countable models, up to isomorphism.

In [R. Vaught, Denumerable models of complete theories, in: Infinitistic Methods, Pregamon, London, 1961, pp. 303–321] Vaught conjectured that a countable first order theory has countably many or 20 many countable models. Here, the following special case is proved.

We generalize Shelah's analysis of cardinality quantifiers for a superstable theory from Chapter V of Classification Theory and the Number of Nonisomorphic Models. We start with a set of bounds for the cardinality of each formula in some general invariant family of formulas in a superstable theory (in Classification Theory, a uniform family of formulas is considered) and find a set of derived bounds for all formulas. The set of derived bounds is sharp: up (...) to a technical restriction, every model that satisfies the original bounds has a sufficiently saturated elementary extension that satisfies the original bounds and such that for each formula the set of its realizations in the extension has arbitrarily large cardinality below the corresponding derived bound of the formula. (shrink)

We prove that if every uncountable model of a first-order theory T is ω-saturated and T is superstable then T is categorical in some infinite power.

A first order theory T of power λ is called unidimensional if any twoλ+-saturated models of T of the same cardinality are isomorphic. We prove here that such theories are superstable, solving a problem of Shelah. The proof involves an existence theorem and a definability theorem for definable groups in stable theories, and an analysis of their relation to regular types.

We prove that has no proper superstable expansions of finite Lascar rank. Nevertheless, this structure equipped with a predicate defining powers of a given natural number is superstable of Lascar rank ω. Additionally, our methods yield other superstable expansions such as equipped with the set of factorial elements.

We prove that a nonabelian superstable CSA-group has an infinite definable simple subgroup all of whose proper definable subgroups are abelian. This imply in particular that the existence of nonabelian CSA-group of finite Morley rank is equivalent to the existence of a simple bad group all whose definable proper subgroups are abelian. We give a new proof of a result of Mustafin and Poizat [E. Mustafin, B. Poizat, Sous-groupes superstables de SL2 ] which states that a superstable model (...) of the universal theory of nonabelian free groups is abelian. We deduce also that a superstable torsion-free hyperbolic group is cyclic. We close the paper by showing that an existentially closed CSA*-group is not superstable. (shrink)

We construct an ab initio generic structure for a predimension function with a positive rational coefficient less than or equal to 1 which is unsaturated and has a superstable non-ω-stable theory.

The paper continues [1]. Let S be a complete theory of ultraflat (e.g. planar) graphs as introduced in [4]. We show a strong form of NOTOP for S: The union of two models M1 and M2, independent over a common elementary submodel M0, is the primary model over M1 ∪ M2 of S. Then by results of [1] Mekler's construction [6] gives for such a theory S of nice ultraflat graphs a superstable 2-step-nilpotent group of exponent $p (...) (>2)$ with NDOP and NOTOP. (shrink)

In this note we treat maximal and minimal normal subgroups of a superstable group and prove that these groups are definable under certain conditions. Main tool is a superstable version of Zil'ber's indecomposability theorem.

It follows directly from Shelah’s structure theory that if T is a classifiable theory, then the isomorphism type of any model of T is determined by the theory of that model in the language L∞,ω1. Leo Harrington asked if one could improve this to the logic L∞, In [S. Shelah, Characterizing an -saturated model of superstable NDOP theories by its L∞,-theory, Israel Journal of Mathematics 140 61–111] Shelah gives a partial positive answer, showing that for (...) T a countable superstable NDOP theory, two -saturated models of T are isomorphic if and only if they have the same L∞,-theory. We give here a negative answer to the general question by constructing two classifiable theories, each with 21 pairwise non-isomorphic models of cardinality 1, which are all L∞,-equivalent, a shallow depth 3 ω-stable theory and a shallow NOTOP depth 1 superstable theory. In the other direction, we show that in the case of an ω-stable depth 2 theory, the L∞,-theory is enough to describe the isomorphism type of all models. (shrink)

We prove: Theorem. A complete first order theory in a countable language which is strictly stable, trivial and which admits finite coding has 2 ℵ 0 nonisomorphic countable models. Combined with the corresponding result or superstable theories from [4] our result confirms the Vaught conjecture for trivial theories which admit finite coding.

We give two slight generalizations of results of Poizat about elementary theories of groups obtained by free constructions. The first-one concerns generic types and the non-superstability of such groups in many cases. The second-one concerns the connectedness of most free products of groups without amalgamation.

We initiate a systematic investigation of the abstract elementary classes that have amalgamation, satisfy tameness, and are stable in some cardinal. Assuming the singular cardinal hypothesis, we prove a full characterization of the stability cardinals, and connect the stability spectrum with the behavior of saturated models.We deduce that if a class is stable on a tail of cardinals, then it has no long splitting chains. This indicates that there is a clear notion of superstability in this framework.We also present an (...) application to homogeneous model theory: for [Formula: see text] a homogeneous diagram in a first-order theory [Formula: see text], if [Formula: see text] is both stable in [Formula: see text] and categorical in [Formula: see text] then [Formula: see text] is stable in all [Formula: see text]. (shrink)

If T is an unstable theory of cardinality <λ or countable stable theory with OTOP or countable superstable theory with DOP, λω λω1 in the superstable with DOP case) is regular and λ<λ=λ, then we construct for T strongly equivalent nonisomorphic models of cardinality λ. This can be viewed as a strong nonstructure theorem for such theories. We also consider the case when T is unsuperstable and develop further a result of Shelah about the existence (...) of L∞,λ-equivalent nonisomorphic models for such T. In addition, we show that a natural analogue of Scott's isomorphism theorem fails for models of power κ, if κω is regular, assuming κ<κ=κ. (shrink)

The class of geometric surgical theories is examined. The main theorem is that every stable theory that is interpretable in a geometric surgical theory is superstable of finite U-rank.

A stable theory is finitely based if every set of indiscernibles is based on a finite subset. This is a common generalization of superstability and 1-basedness. We show that if such theories have more than one model they must have infinitely many, and prove some other conjectures.

We introduce notions of strong and eventual strong non-isolation for types in countable, stable theories. For T superstable or small stable we prove a dichotomy theorem: a regular type over a finite domain is either eventually strongly non-isolated or is non-orthogonal to a NENI type . As an application we obtain the upper bound for Lascar’s rank of a superstable theory which is one-based or trivial, and has fewer than 20 non-isomorphic countable models.

Let T be a complete, superstable theory with fewer than ${2^{\aleph_{0}}}$ countable models. Assuming that generic types of infinite, simple groups definable in T eq are sufficiently non-isolated we prove that ω ω is the strict upper bound for the Lascar rank of T.

First, it is pointed out how the author's new differential Galois theory contributes to the understanding of the differential closure of an arbitrary differential field . Secondly, it is shown that a superstable differential field has no proper differential Galois extensions.

In this paper we establish the following theorems. THEOREM A. Let T be a complete first-order theory which is uncountable. Then: (i) I(|T|, T) ≥ ℵ 0 . (ii) If T is not unidimensional, then for any λ ≥ |T|, I (λ, T) ≥ ℵ 0 . THEOREM B. Let T be superstable, not totally transcendental and nonmultidimensional. Let θ(x) be a formula of least R ∞ rank which does not have Morley rank, and let p be any (...) stationary completion of θ which also fails to have Morley rank. Then p is regular and locally modular. (shrink)

A number of results have been obtained concerning Borel structures starting with Silver and Friedman followed by Harrington, Shelah, Marker, and Louveau. Friedman also initiated the model theory of Borel (in fact totally Borel) structures. By this we mean the study of the class of Borel models of a given first-order theory. The subject was further investigated by Steinhorn. The present work is meant to go further in this direction. It is based on the assumption that the study (...) of the class of, say, countable models of a theory reduces to analyzing a single $\omega_1$-saturated model. The question then arises as to when such a model can be totally Borel. We present here a partial answer to this problem when the theory under investigation is superstable. (shrink)

Assume G is a superstable locally modular group. We describe for any countable model M of Th(G) the quotient group G(M) / Gm(M). Here Gm is the modular part of G. Also, under some additional assumptions we describe G(M) / Gm(M) relative to G⁻(M). We prove Vaught's Conjecture for Th(G) relative to Gm and a finite set provided that ℳ(G) = 1 and the ring of pseudoendomorphisms of G is finite.

Hrushovski proved that the theory of difference-differential fields of characteristic zero has a model-companion, which we shall denote DCFA. Previously, the author proved that this theory is supersimple. In supersimple theories there is a notion of rank defined in analogy with Lascar U-rank for superstable theories. It is also possible to define a notion of dimension for types in DCFA based on transcendence degree of realization of the types. In this paper we compute the rank of a (...) model of DCFA, give some properties regarding rank and dimension, and give an example of a definable set with finite rank but infinite dimension. Finally we prove that for the case of definable subgroup of the additive group being finite-dimensional and having finite rank are equivalent. (shrink)

Assume T is a superstable theory with $ countable models. We prove that any *-algebraic type of M-rank > 0 is m-nonorthogonal to a *-algebraic type of M-rank 1. We study the geometry induced by m-dependence on a *-algebraic type p* of M-rank 1. We prove that after some localization this geometry becomes projective over a division ring F. Associated with p* is a meager type p. We prove that p is determined by p* up to nonorthogonality and (...) that F underlies also the geometry induced by forking dependence on any stationarization of p. Also we study some *-algebraic *-groups of M-rank 1 and prove that any *-algebraic *-group of M-rank 1 is abelian-by-finite. (shrink)