The dynamical hierarchy for Roelcke precompact Polish groups

We study several distinguished function algebras on a Polish group $G$, under the assumption that $G$ is Roelcke precompact. We do this by means of the model-theoretic translation initiated by Ben Yaacov and Tsankov: we investigate the dynamics of $\aleph_0$-categorical metric structures under the action of their automorphism group. We show that, in this context, every strongly uniformly continuous function (in particular, every Asplund function) is weakly almost periodic. We also point out the correspondence between tame functions and NIP formulas, deducing that the isometry group of the Urysohn sphere is \Tame\cap\UC-trivial.Comment: 25 page

Topological groups, \mu-types and their stabilizers

We consider an arbitrary topological group $G$ definable in a structure $\mathcal M$, such that some basis for the topology of $G$ consists of sets definable in $\mathcal M$. To each such group $G$ we associate a compact $G$-space of partial types $S^\mu_G(M)=\{p_\mu:p\in S_G(M)\}$ which is the quotient of the usual type space $S_G(M)$ by the relation of two types being "infinitesimally close to each other". In the o-minimal setting, if $p$ is a definable type then it has a corresponding definable subgroup $Stab_\mu(p)$, which is the stabilizer of $p_\mu$. This group is nontrivial when $p$ is unbounded in the sense of $\mathcal M$; in fact it is a torsion-free solvable group. Along the way, we analyze the general construction of $S^\mu_G(M)$ and its connection to the Samuel compactification of topological groups

Remarks on compactifications of pseudofinite groups

We discuss the Bohr compactification of a pseudofinite group, motivated by a question of Boris Zilber. Basically referring to results in the literature we point out (i) the Bohr compactification of an ultraproduct of finite simple groups is trivial, and (ii) the "definable" Bohr compactification of any pseudofinite group G, relative to a nonstandard model of set theory in which it is definable, is commutative-by-profinite.Comment: 9 page

Eberlein oligomorphic groups

We study the Fourier--Stieltjes algebra of Roelcke precompact, non-archimedean, Polish groups and give a model-theoretic description of the Hilbert compactification of these groups. We characterize the family of such groups whose Fourier--Stieltjes algebra is dense in the algebra of weakly almost periodic functions: those are exactly the automorphism groups of $\aleph_0$-stable, $\aleph_0$-categorical structures. This analysis is then extended to all semitopological semigroup compactifications $S$ of such a group: $S$ is Hilbert-representable if and only if it is an inverse semigroup. We also show that every factor of the Hilbert compactification is Hilbert-representable.Comment: 23 page

Tame topology of arithmetic quotients and algebraicity of Hodge loci

We prove that the uniformizing map of any arithmetic quotient, as well as the period map associated to any pure polarized $\mathbb{Z}$-variation of Hodge structure $\mathbb{V}$ on a smooth complex quasi-projective variety $S$, are topologically tame. As an easy corollary of these results and of Peterzil-Starchenko's o-minimal GAGA theorem we obtain that the Hodge locus of $(S, \mathbb{V})$ is a countable union of algebraic subvarieties of $S$ (a result originally due to Cattani-Deligne-Kaplan).Comment: 23 page

Generalized Bohr compactification and model-theoretic connected components

For a group $G$ first order definable in a structure $M$, we continue the study of the "definable topological dynamics" of $G$. The special case when all subsets of $G$ are definable in the given structure $M$ is simply the usual topological dynamics of the discrete group $G$; in particular, in this case, the words "externally definable" and "definable" can be removed in the results described below. Here we consider the mutual interactions of three notions or objects: a certain model-theoretic invariant $G^{*}/(G^{*})^{000}_{M}$ of $G$, which appears to be "new" in the classical discrete case and of which we give a direct description in the paper; the [externally definable] generalized Bohr compactification of $G$; [externally definable] strong amenability. Among other things, we essentially prove: (i) The "new" invariant $G^{*}/(G^{*})^{000}_{M}$ lies in between the externally definable generalized Bohr compactification and the definable Bohr compactification, and these all coincide when $G$ is definably strongly amenable and all types in $S_G(M)$ are definable, (ii) the kernel of the surjective homomorphism from $G^*/(G^*)^{000}_M$ to the definable Bohr compactification has naturally the structure of the quotient of a compact (Hausdorff) group by a dense normal subgroup, and (iii) when $Th(M)$ is NIP, then $G$ is [externally] definably amenable iff it is externally definably strongly amenable. In the situation when all types in $S_G(M)$ are definable, one can just work with the definable (instead of externally definable) objects in the above results

Tame topology of arithmetic quotients and algebraicity of Hodge loci

In this paper we prove the following results: $1)$ We show that any arithmetic quotient of a homogeneous space admits a natural real semi-algebraic structure for which its Hecke correspondences are semi-algebraic. A particularly important example is given by Hodge varieties, which parametrize pure polarized integral Hodge structures. $2)$ We prove that the period map associated to any pure polarized variation of integral Hodge structures $\mathbb{V}$ on a smooth complex quasi-projective variety $S$ is definable with respect to an o-minimal structure on the relevant Hodge variety induced by the above semi-algebraic structure. $3)$ As a corollary of $2)$ and of Peterzil-Starchenko's o-minimal Chow theorem we recover that the Hodge locus of $(S, \mathbb{V})$ is a countable union of algebraic subvarieties of $S$, a result originally due to Cattani-Deligne-Kaplan. Our approach simplifies the proof of Cattani-Deligne-Kaplan, as it does not use the full power of the difficult multivariable $SL_2$-orbit theorem of Cattani-Kaplan-Schmid.Comment: 23 pages, final version. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1803.0938

Stabilizers, Measures and IP-sets

The purpose of this simple note is to provide elementary model-theoretic proofs to some existing results on sumset phenomena and IP sets, motivated by Hrushovski's work on the stabilizer theorem

On minimal flows. definably amenable groups, and o-minimality

We study definably amenable groups in NIP theories, and answer a question of Newelski (and also of Chernikov-Simon), by giving an example in the o-minimal context where weak generic types do not coincide with almost periodic types, equivalently where the union of the minimal subflows of suitable type spaces is not closed. We give other positive results in this o-minimal context.Comment: 23 page

On compactifications and product-free sets

A subset of a group is said to be product-free if it does not contain three elements satisfying the equation $xy=z$. We give a negative answer to a question of Babai and S\'os on the existence of large product-free sets by model theoretic means. This question was originally answered by Gowers. Furthermore, we give a natural and sufficient model theoretic condition for a group to have a large product-free subset, as well as a model theoretic account of a result of Nikolov and Pyber on triple products