Pseudofinite structures and simplicity

We explore a notion of pseudofinite dimension, introduced by Hrushovski and Wagner, on an infinite ultraproduct of finite structures. Certain conditions on pseudofinite dimension are identified that guarantee simplicity or supersimplicity of the underlying theory, and that a drop in pseudofinite dimension is equivalent to forking. Under a suitable assumption, a measure-theoretic condition is shown to be equivalent to local stability. Many examples are explored, including vector spaces over finite fields viewed as 2-sorted finite structures, and homocyclic groups. Connections are made to products of sets in finite groups, in particular to word maps, and a generalization of Tao's algebraic regularity lemma is noted

Model theory of finite and pseudofinite groups

This is a survey, intended both for group theorists and model theorists, concerning the structure of pseudofinite groups, that is, infinite models of the first-order theory of finite groups. The focus is on concepts from stability theory and generalisations in the context of pseudofinite groups, and on the information this might provide for finite group theory

Valuation Theory and Its Applications

In recent years, the applications of valuation theory in several areas of mathematics have expanded dramatically. In this workshop, we presented applications related to algebraic geometry, number theory and model theory, as well as advances in the core of valuation theory itself. Areas of particular interest were resolution of singularities and Galois theory

Model Theory and Groups

The aim of the workshop was to discuss the connections between model theory and group theory. Main topics have been the interaction between geometric group theory and model theory, the study of the asymptotic behaviour of geometric properties on groups, and the model theoretic investigations of groups of finite Morley rank around the Cherlin-Zilber Conjecture

Model theory of multidimensional asymptotic classes

In this PhD thesis we explore the concept of a multidimensional asymptotic class. This is a new notion in model theory, arising as a generalisation of the Elwes–Macpherson–Steinhorn notion of an N-dimensional asymptotic class [22] and thus ultimately as a development of the Lang–Weil estimates of the number of points of a variety in a finite field [47]. We provide the history and motivation behind the topic before developing its basic theory, paying particular attention to multidimensional exact classes, a special kind of multidimensional asymptotic class where the measuring functions provide the precise sizes of the definable sets, rather than only approximations. We describe a number of examples and non-examples and then show that multidimensional asymptotic classes are closed under bi-interpretability. We use results about smoothly approximable structures [35] and Lie coordinatisable structures [18] to prove the following result, as conjectured by Macpherson: For any countable language L and any positive integer d the class C(L,d) of all finite L-structures with at most d 4-types is a polynomial exact class in L; here a polynomial exact class is a multidimensional exact class with polynomial measuring functions. We finish the thesis by posing some open questions, indicating potential further lines of research

Structures pseudo-finies et dimensions de comptage

This thesis is about the model theory of pseudofinite structures with the focus on groups and fields. The aim is to deepen our understanding of how pseudofinite counting dimensions can interact with the algebraic properties of underlying structures and how we could classify certain classes of structures according to their counting dimensions. Our approach is by studying examples. We treat three classes of structures: The first one is the class of H-structures, which are generic expansions of existing structures. We give an explicit construction of pseudofinite H-structures as ultraproducts of finite structures. The second one is the class of finite difference fields. We study properties of coarse pseudofinite dimension in this class, show that it is definable and integer-valued and build a partial connection between this dimension and transformal transcendence degree. The third example is the class of pseudofinite primitive permutation groups. We generalise Hrushovski's classical classification theorem for stable permutation groups acting on a strongly minimal set to the case where there exists an abstract notion of dimension, which includes both the classical model theoretic ranks and pseudofinite counting dimensions. In this thesis, we also generalise Schlichting's theorem for groups to the case of approximate subgroups with a notion of commensurabilityCette thèse porte sur la théorie des modèles des structures pseudo-finies en mettant l’accent sur les groupes et les corps. Le but est d'approfondir notre compréhension des interactions entre les dimensions de comptage pseudo-finies et les propriétés algébriques de leurs structures sous-jacentes, ainsi que de la classification de certaines classes de structures en fonction de leurs dimensions. Notre approche se fait par l'étude d'exemples. Nous avons examiné trois classes de structures. La première est la classe des H-structures, qui sont des expansions génériques. Nous avons donné une construction explicite de H-structures pseudo-finies comme ultraproduits de structures finies. Le deuxième exemple est la classe des corps aux différences finis. Nous avons étudié les propriétés de la dimension pseudo-finie grossière de cette classe. Nous avons montré qu'elle est définissable et prend des valeurs entières, et nous avons trouvé un lien partiel entre cette dimension et le degré de transcendance transformelle. Le troisième exemple est la classe des groupes de permutations primitifs pseudo-finis. Nous avons généralisé le théorème classique de classification de Hrushovski pour les groupes stables de permutations d'un ensemble fortement minimal au cas où une dimension abstraite existe, cas qui inclut à la fois les rangs classiques de la théorie des modèles et les dimensions de comptage pseudo-finies. Dans cette thèse, nous avons aussi généralisé le théorème de Schlichting aux sous-groupes approximatifs, en utilisant une notion de commensurabilit

Grothendieck rings of theories of modules

We consider right modules over a ring, as models of a first order theory. We explorethe definable sets and the definable bijections between them. We employ the notionsof Euler characteristic and Grothendieck ring for a first order structure, introduced byJ. Krajicek and T. Scanlon in [24]. The Grothendieck ring is an algebraic structurethat captures certain properties of a model and its category of definable sets.If M is a module over a product of rings A and B, then M has a decomposition into a direct sum of an A-module and a B-module. Theorem 3.5.1 states that then the Grothendieck ring of M is the tensor product of the Grothendieck rings of the summands.Theorem 4.3.1 states that the Grothendieck ring of every infinite module over afield or skew field is isomorphic to Z[X].Proposition 5.2.4 states that for an elementary extension of models of anytheory, the elementary embedding induces an embedding of the corresponding Grothendieck rings. Theorem 5.3.1 is that for an elementary embedding of modules, we have the stronger result that the embedding induces an isomorphism of Grothendieck rings.We define a model-theoretic Grothendieck ring of the category Mod-R and explorethe relationship between this ring and the Grothendieck rings of general right R-modules. The category of pp-imaginaries, shown by K. Burke in [7] to be equivalentto the subcategory of finitely presented functors in (mod-R; Ab), provides a functorial approach to studying the generators of theGrothendieck rings of R-modules. It is shown in Theorem 6.3.5 that whenever R andS are Morita equivalent rings, the rings Grothendieck rings of the module categories Mod-R and Mod-S are isomorphic.Combining results from previous chapters, we derive Theorem 7.2.1 saying that theGrothendieck ring of any module over a semisimple ring is isomorphic to a polynomialring Z[X1,...,Xn] for some n.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo