Maximal almost disjoint families, determinacy, and forcing

We study the notion of $\mathcal J$-MAD families where $\mathcal J$ is a Borel ideal on $\omega$. We show that if $\mathcal J$ is an arbitrary $F_\sigma$ ideal, or is any finite or countably iterated Fubini product of $F_\sigma$ ideals, then there are no analytic infinite $\mathcal J$-MAD families, and assuming Projective Determinacy there are no infinite projective $\mathcal J$-MAD families; and under the full Axiom of Determinacy + $V=\mathbf{L}(\mathbb{R})$ there are no infinite $\mathcal J$-mad families. These results apply in particular when $\mathcal J$ is the ideal of finite sets $\mathrm{Fin}$, which corresponds to the classical notion of MAD families. The proofs combine ideas from invariant descriptive set theory and forcing.Comment: 40 page

The Ramsey property implies no mad families

We show that if all collections of infinite subsets of $\N$ have the Ramsey property, then there are no infinite maximal almost disjoint (mad) families. This solves a long-standing problem going back to Mathias \cite{mathias}. The proof exploits an idea which has its natural roots in ergodic theory, topological dynamics, and invariant descriptive set theory: We use that a certain function associated to a purported mad family is invariant under the equivalence relation $E_0$, and thus is constant on a "large" set. Furthermore we announce a number of additional results about mad families relative to more complicated Borel ideals.Comment: 10 pages; fixed a mistake in Theorem 4.

Projective maximal families of orthogonal measures with large continuum

We study maximal orthogonal families of Borel probability measures on $2^\omega$ (abbreviated m.o. families) and show that there are generic extensions of the constructible universe $L$ in which each of the following holds: (1) There is a $\Delta^1_3$-definable well order of the reals, there is a $\Pi^1_2$-definable m.o. family, there are no $\mathbf{\Sigma}^1_2$-definable m.o. families and $\mathfrak{b}=\mathfrak{c}=\omega_3$ (in fact any reasonable value of $\mathfrak{c}$ will do). (2) There is a $\Delta^1_3$-definable well order of the reals, there is a $\Pi^1_2$-definable m.o. family, there are no $\mathbf{\Sigma}^1_2$-definable m.o. families, $\mathfrak{b}=\omega_1$ and $\mathfrak{c}=\omega_2$.Comment: 12 page

Σ21\Sigma^1_2 and Π11\Pi^1_1 mad families

We answer in the affirmative the following question of J\"org Brendle: If there is a $\Sigma^1_2$ mad family, is there then a $\Pi^1_1$ mad family?Comment: This will appear in the Journal of Symbolic Logic (March 2014

Definable maximal discrete sets in forcing extensions

Let $\mathcal R$ be a $\Sigma^1_1$ binary relation, and recall that a set $A$ is $\mathcal R$-discrete if no two elements of $A$ are related by $\mathcal R$. We show that in the Sacks and Miller forcing extensions of $L$ there is a $\Delta^1_2$ maximal $\mathcal{R}$-discrete set. We use this to answer in the negative the main question posed in [5] by showing that in the Sacks and Miller extensions there is a $\Pi^1_1$ maximal orthogonal family ("mof") of Borel probability measures on Cantor space. A similar result is also obtained for $\Pi^1_1$ mad families. By contrast, we show that if there is a Mathias real over $L$ then there are no $\Sigma^1_2$ mofs.Comment: 16 page

Definable maximal cofinitary groups of intermediate size

Using almost disjoint coding, we show that for each $1<M<N<\omega$ consistently $\mathfrak{d}=\mathfrak{a}_g=\aleph_M<\mathfrak{c}=\aleph_N$, where $\mathfrak{a}_g=\aleph_M$ is witnessed by a $\Pi^1_2$ maximal cofinitary group.Comment: 22 page