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

Dimension, matroids, and dense pairs of first-order structures

A structure M is pregeometric if the algebraic closure is a pregeometry in all M' elementarily equivalent to M. We define a generalisation: structures with an existential matroid. The main examples are superstable groups of U-rank a power of omega and d-minimal expansion of fields. Ultraproducts of pregeometric structures expanding a field, while not pregeometric in general, do have an unique existential matroid. Generalising previous results by van den Dries, we define dense elementary pairs of structures expanding a field and with an existential matroid, and we show that the corresponding theories have natural completions, whose models also have a unique existential matroid. We extend the above result to dense tuples of structures.Comment: Version 2.8. 61 page

Imaginaries and definable types in algebraically closed valued fields

The text is based on notes from a class entitled {\em Model Theory of Berkovich Spaces}, given at the Hebrew University in the fall term of 2009, and retains the flavor of class notes. It includes an exposition of material from \cite{hhmcrelle}, \cite{hhm} and \cite{HL}, regarding definable types in the model completion of the theory of valued fields, and the classification of imaginary sorts. The latter is given a new proof, based on definable types rather than invariant types, and on the notion of {\em generic reparametrization}. I also try to bring out the relation to the geometry of \cite{HL} - stably dominated definable types as the model theoretic incarnation of a Berkovich point

Representation Growth and Rational Singularities of the Moduli Space of Local Systems

We relate the asymptotic representation theory of $SL(d,\mathbb{Z}_p)$ and the singularities of the moduli space of $SL(d)$-local systems on a smooth projective curve, proving new theorems about both. Regarding the former, we prove that, for every d, the number of n-dimensional representations of $SL(d,\mathbb{Z}_p)$ grows slower than $n^{22}$, confirming a conjecture of Larsen and Lubotzky. Regarding the latter, we prove that the moduli space of $SL(d)$-local systems on a smooth projective curve of genus at least 12 has rational singularities. Most of our results apply more generally to semi-simple algebraic groups. For the proof, we study the analytic properties of push forwards of smooth measures under algebraic maps. More precisely, we show that such push forwards have continuous density if the algebraic map is flat and all of its fibers have rational singularities.Comment: preliminary version, comments are welcome. v2. Revised version, now covering all semi simple group

Model Theory: Around Valued Fields and Dependent Theories

The general topic of the meeting was “Valued fields and related structures”. It included both applications of model theory, as well as so-called “pure” model theory: the classification of first order structures using new techniques extending those developed in stable theories