Imaginaries in separably closed valued fields

We show that separably closed valued fields of finite imperfection degree (either with lambda-functions or commuting Hasse derivations) eliminate imaginaries in the geometric language. We then use this classification of interpretable sets to study stably dominated types in those structures. We show that separably closed valued fields of finite imperfection degree are metastable and that the space of stably dominated types is strict pro-definable

Stable domination and independence in algebraically closed valued fields

We seek to create tools for a model-theoretic analysis of types in algebraically closed valued fields (ACVF). We give evidence to show that a notion of 'domination by stable part' plays a key role. In Part A, we develop a general theory of stably dominated types, showing they enjoy an excellent independence theory, as well as a theory of definable types and germs of definable functions. In Part B, we show that the general theory applies to ACVF. Over a sufficiently rich base, we show that every type is stably dominated over its image in the value group. For invariant types over any base, stable domination coincides with a natural notion of `orthogonality to the value group'. We also investigate other notions of independence, and show that they all agree, and are well-behaved, for stably dominated types. One of these is used to show that every type extends to an invariant type; definable types are dense. Much of this work requires the use of imaginary elements. We also show existence of prime models over reasonable bases, possibly including imaginaries

Special transformations in algebraically closed valued fields

We present two of the three major steps in the construction of motivic integration, that is, a homomorphism between Grothendieck semigroups that are associated with a first-order theory of algebraically closed valued fields, in the fundamental work of Hrushovski and Kazhdan. We limit our attention to a simple major subclass of V-minimal theories of the form ACVF_S(0, 0), that is, the theory of algebraically closed valued fields of pure characteristic $0$ expanded by a (VF, Gamma)-generated substructure S in the language L_RV. The main advantage of this subclass is the presence of syntax. It enables us to simplify the arguments with many different technical details while following the major steps of the Hrushovski-Kazhdan theory.Comment: This is the published version of a part of the notes on the Hrushovski-Kazhdan integration theory. To appear in the Annals of Pure and Applied Logi

Groupoids, imaginaries and internal covers

Let $T$ be a first-order theory. A correspondence is established between internal covers of models of $T$ and definable groupoids within $T$. We also consider amalgamations of independent diagrams of algebraically closed substructures, and find strong relation between: covers, uniqueness for 3-amalgamation, existence of 4-amalgamation, imaginaries of T^\si, and definable groupoids. As a corollary, we describe the imaginary elements of families of finite-dimensional vector spaces over pseudo-finite fields.Comment: Local improvements; thanks to referee of Turkish Mathematical Journal. First appeared in the proceedings of the Paris VII seminar: structures alg\'ebriques ordonn\'ee (2004/5

Non-archimedean tame topology and stably dominated types

Let $V$ be a quasi-projective algebraic variety over a non-archimedean valued field. We introduce topological methods into the model theory of valued fields, define an analogue $\hat {V}$ of the Berkovich analytification $V^{an}$ of $V$, and deduce several new results on Berkovich spaces from it. In particular we show that $V^{an}$ retracts to a finite simplicial complex and is locally contractible, without any smoothness assumption on $V$. When $V$ varies in an algebraic family, we show that the homotopy type of $V^{an}$ takes only a finite number of values. The space $\hat {V}$ is obtained by defining a topology on the pro-definable set of stably dominated types on $V$. The key result is the construction of a pro-definable strong retraction of $\hat {V}$ to an o-minimal subspace, the skeleton, definably homeomorphic to a space definable over the value group with its piecewise linear structure.Comment: Final versio