Boundedness and absoluteness of some dynamical invariants in model theory

Let [Formula: see text] be a monster model of an arbitrary theory [Formula: see text], let [Formula: see text] be any (possibly infinite) tuple of bounded length of elements of [Formula: see text], and let [Formula: see text] be an enumeration of all elements of [Formula: see text] (so a tuple of unbounded length). By [Formula: see text] we denote the compact space of all complete types over [Formula: see text] extending [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] is defined analogously. Then [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are naturally [Formula: see text]-flows (even [Formula: see text]-ambits). We show that the Ellis groups of both these flows are of bounded size (i.e. smaller than the degree of saturation of [Formula: see text]), providing an explicit bound on this size. Next, we prove that these Ellis groups do not depend (as groups equipped with the so-called [Formula: see text]-topology) on the choice of the monster model [Formula: see text]; thus, we say that these Ellis groups are absolute. We also study minimal left ideals (equivalently subflows) of the Ellis semigroups of the flows [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. We give an example of a NIP theory in which the minimal left ideals are of unbounded size. Then we show that in each of these two cases, boundedness of a minimal left ideal (equivalently, of all the minimal left ideals) is an absolute property (i.e. it does not depend on the choice of [Formula: see text]) and that whenever such an ideal is bounded, then in some sense its isomorphism type is also absolute. Under the assumption that [Formula: see text] has NIP, we give characterizations (in various terms) of when a minimal left ideal of the Ellis semigroup of [Formula: see text] is bounded. Then we adapt the proof of Theorem 5.7 in Definably amenable NIP groups, J. Amer. Math. Soc. 31 (2018) 609–641 to show that whenever such an ideal is bounded, a certain natural epimorphism (described in [K. Krupiński, A. Pillay and T. Rzepecki, Topological dynamics and the complexity of strong types, Israel J. Math. 228 (2018) 863–932]) from the Ellis group of the flow [Formula: see text] to the Kim–Pillay Galois group [Formula: see text] is an isomorphism (in particular, [Formula: see text] is G-compact). We also obtain some variants of these results, formulate some questions, and explain differences (providing a few counterexamples) which occur when the flow [Formula: see text] is replaced by [Formula: see text].

THE ELLIS GROUP CONJECTURE AND VARIANTS OF DEFINABLE AMENABILITY

We consider definable topological dynamics for NIP groups admitting certain decompositions in terms of specific classes of definably amenable groups. For such a group, we find a description of the Ellis group of its universal definable flow. This description shows that the Ellis group is of bounded size. Under additional assumptions, it is shown to be independent of the model, proving a conjecture proposed by Newelski. Finally we apply the results to new classes of groups definable in o-minimal structures, generalizing all of the previous results for this setting.

DEFINABLE TOPOLOGICAL DYNAMICS

For a group G definable in a first order structure M we develop basic topological dynamics in the category of definable G-flows. In particular, we give a description of the universal definable G-ambit and of the semigroup operation on it. We find a natural epimorphism from the Ellis group of this flow to the definable Bohr compactification of G, that is to the quotient ${G^{\rm{*}}}/G_M^{{\rm{*}}00}$ (where G* is the interpretation of G in a monster model). More generally, we obtain these results locally, i.e., in the category of Δ-definable G-flows for any fixed set Δ of formulas of an appropriate form. In particular, we define local connected components $G_{{\rm{\Delta }},M}^{{\rm{*}}00}$ and $G_{{\rm{\Delta }},M}^{{\rm{*}}000}$, and show that ${G^{\rm{*}}}/G_{{\rm{\Delta }},M}^{{\rm{*}}00}$ is the Δ-definable Bohr compactification of G. We also note that some deeper arguments from [14] can be adapted to our context, showing for example that our epimorphism from the Ellis group to the Δ-definable Bohr compactification factors naturally yielding a continuous epimorphism from the Δ-definable generalized Bohr compactification to the Δ-definable Bohr compactification of G. Finally, we propose to view certain topological-dynamic and model-theoretic invariants as Polish structures which leads to some observations and questions.