Forthcoming events in this series


Fri, 04 Jun 2021
11:30
Virtual

Interpretable fields in certain expansions of valued fields

Kobi Peterzil
(University of Haifa)
Abstract

(Joint with Y. Halevi and A. Hasson.) We consider two kinds of expansions of a valued field $K$:

(1) A $T$-convex expansion of real closed field, for $T$ a polynomially bounded o-minimal expansion of $K$.

(2) A $P$-minimal field $K$ in which definable functions are PW differentiable.

We prove that any interpretable infinite field $F$ in $K$ is definably isomorphic to a finite extension of either $K$ or, in case (1), its residue field $k$. The method we use bypasses general elimination of imaginaries and is based on analysis of one dimensional quotients of the form $I=K/E$ inside $F$ and their connection to one of 4 possible sorts: $K$, $k$ (in case (1)), the value group, or the quotient of $K$ by its valuation ring. The last two cases turn out to be impossible and in the first two cases we use local differentiability to embed $F$ into the matrix ring over $K$ (or $k$).

Thu, 27 May 2021
11:30
Virtual

Coarse approximate subgroups in weak general position and Elekes-Szabó problems for nilpotent groups

Zou Tingxiang
(University of Münster)
Abstract

The Elekes-Szabó's theorem says very roughly that if a complex irreducible subvariety V of X*Y*Z has ''too many'' intersection with cartesian products of finite sets, then V is in correspondence with the graph of multiplication of an algebraic group G. It was noticed by Breuillard and Wang that the algebraic group G must be abelian. There is a constraint for the finite sets witnessing ''many'' intersections with V, namely a condition called in general position, which plays a key role in forcing the group to be abelian.  In this talk, I will present a result which shows that in the case of the graph of complex algebraic groups, with a weaker general position assumption, nilpotent groups will appear. More precisely, for a connected complex algebraic group G the following are equivalent:

1. The graph of G has ''many'' intersections with finite sets in weak general position;

2. G is nilpotent;

3. The ultrapower of G has a pseudofinite coarse approixmate subgroup in weak general position.

Surprisingly, the proof of the direction from 2 to 3 invokes some form of generic Mordell-Lang theorem for commutative complex algebraic groups.

This is joint work with Martin Bays and Jan Dobrowolski.

Thu, 20 May 2021
11:30
Virtual

Chromatic numbers of Stable Graphs

Yatir Halevi
(Ben Gurion University of the Negev)
Abstract
This is joint work with Itay Kaplan and Saharon Shelah.
Given a graph $(G,E)$, its chromatic number is the smallest cardinal $\kappa$ of a legal coloring of the vertices. We will mainly concentrate on the following strong form of Taylor's conjecture:
If $G$ is an infinite graph with chromatic number$\geq \aleph_1$ then it contains all finite subgraphs of $Sh_n(\omega)$ for some $n$, where $Sh_n(\omega)$ is the $n$-shift graph (which we will introduce).

 
The conjecture was disproved by Hajnal-Komjath. However, we will sketch a proof for a variant of this conjecture for $\omega$-stable\superstable\stable graphs. The proof uses a generalization of  Ehrenfeucht-Mostowski models, which we will (hopefully) introduce.
Thu, 13 May 2021
16:30
Virtual

Applications of generalized indiscernible sequences

Lynn Scow
(California State University San Bernardino)
Abstract

We survey some of the applications of generalized indiscernible sequences, both in model theory and in structural Ramsey theory.  Given structures $A$ and $B$, a semi-retraction is a pair of  quantifier-free type respecting maps $f: A \rightarrow B$ and $g: B \rightarrow A$ such that $g \circ f: A \rightarrow A$ is quantifier-free type preserving, i.e. an embedding.  In the case that $A$ and $B$ are locally finite ordered structures, if $A$ is a semi-retraction of $B$ and the age of $B$ has the Ramsey property, then the age of $A$ has the Ramsey property.

Wed, 05 May 2021
17:00
Virtual

Existential Closedness in Arithmetic Geometry

Sebastian Eterović
(University of California Berkeley)
Abstract

There are many open conjectures about the algebraic behaviour of transcendental functions in arithmetic geometry, one of which is the Existential Closedness problem. In this talk I will review recent developments made on this question: the cases where we have unconditional existence of solutions, the conditional existence of generic solutions (depending on the conjecture of periods and Zilber-Pink), and even a few cases of unconditional existence of generic solutions. Many of the results I will mention are joint work with (different subsets of) Vahagn Aslanyan, Jonathan Kibry, Sebastián Herrero, and Roy Zhao. 

Thu, 11 Mar 2021
11:30
Virtual

On pseudo-analytic and adelic models of Shimura curves (joint with Chris Daw)

Boris Zilber
((Oxford University))
Abstract

I will discuss the multi-sorted structure of analytic covers H -> Y(N), where H is the upper half-plane and Y(N) are the N-level modular curves, all N, in a certain language, weaker than the language applied by Adam Harris and Chris Daw.  We define a certain locally modular reduct of the structure which is called "pure" structure - an extension of the structure of special subvarieties.  
The problem of non-elementary categorical axiomatisation for this structure is closely related to the theory of "canonical models for Shimura curves", in particular, the description of Gal_Q action on the CM-points of the Y(N). This problem for the case of curves is basically solved (J.Milne) and allows the beautiful interpretation in our setting:  the abstract automorphisms of the pure structure on CM-points are exactly the automorphisms induced by Gal_Q.  Using this fact and earlier theorem of Daw and Harris we prove categoricity of a natural axiomatisation of the pseudo-analytic structure.
If time permits I will also discuss a problem which naturally extends the above:  a categoricity statement for the structure of unramified analytic covers H -> X, where X runs over all smooth curves over a given number field.  

Thu, 04 Mar 2021
11:30
Virtual

Non-archimedean analogue of Wilkie's conjecture, and, point counting from Pfaffian over subanalytic to Hensel minimal

Raf Cluckers
(University of Lille)
Abstract

Point counting on definable sets in non-archimedean settings has many faces. For sets living in Q_p^n, one can count actual rational points of bounded height, but for sets in C((t))^n, one rather "counts" the polynomials in t of bounded degree. What if the latter is of infinite cardinality? We treat three settings, each with completely different behaviour for point counting : 1) the setting of subanalytic sets, where we show finiteness of point counting but growth can be aribitrarily fast with the degree in t ; 2) the setting of Pfaffian sets, which is new in the non-archimedean world and for which we show an analogue of Wilkie's conjecture in all dimensions; 3) the Hensel minimal setting, which is most general and where finiteness starts to fail, even for definable transcendental curves! In this infinite case, one bounds the dimension rather than the (infinite) cardinality. This represents joint work with Binyamini, Novikov, with Halupczok, Rideau, Vermeulen, and separate work by Cantoral-Farfan, Nguyen, Vermeulen.

Thu, 25 Feb 2021
17:00
Virtual

A Partial Result on Zilber's Restricted Trichotomy Conjecture

Benjamin Castle
(University of California Berkeley)
Abstract

Zilber's Restricted Trichotomy Conjecture predicts that every sufficiently rich strongly minimal structure which can be interpreted from an algebraically closed field K, must itself interpret K. Progress toward this conjecture began in 1993 with the work of Rabinovich, and recently Hasson and Sustretov gave a full proof for structures with universe of dimension 1. In this talk I will discuss a partial result in characteristic zero for universes of dimension greater than 1: namely, the conjecture holds in this case under certain geometric restrictions on definable sets. Time permitting, I will discuss how this result implies the full conjecture for expansions of abelian varieties.

Thu, 03 Dec 2020
09:00
Virtual

Compatible deformation retractions in non-Archimedean geometry

John Welliaveetil
Abstract

In 2010, Hrushovski--Loeser studied the homotopy type of the Berkovich analytification of a quasi-projective variety over a valued field. In this talk, we explore the extent to which some of their results might hold in a relative setting. More precisely, given a morphism of quasi-projective varieties over a valued field, we ask if we might construct deformation retractions of the analytifications of the source and target which are compatible with the analytification of the morphism and whose images are finite simplicial complexes. 

Thu, 22 Oct 2020
11:30
Virtual

On the Zilber-Pink Conjecture for complex abelian varieties and distinguished categories

Gabriel Dill
(Oxford)
Abstract

The Zilber-Pink conjecture predicts how large the intersection of a d-dimensional subvariety of an abelian variety/algebraic torus/Shimura variety/... with the union of special subvarieties of codimension > d can be (where the definition of "special" depends on the setting). In joint work with Fabrizio Barroero, we have reduced this conjecture for complex abelian varieties to the same conjecture for abelian varieties defined over the algebraic numbers. In work in progress, we introduce the notion of a distinguished category, which contains both connected commutative algebraic groups and connected mixed Shimura varieties. In any distinguished category, special subvarieties can be defined and a Zilber-Pink statement can be formulated. We show that any distinguished category satisfies the defect condition, introduced as a useful technical tool by Habegger and Pila. Under an additional assumption, which makes the category "very distinguished", we show furthermore that the Zilber-Pink statement in general follows from the case where the subvariety is defined over the algebraic closure of the field of definition of the distinguished variety. The proof closely follows our proof in the case of abelian varieties and leads also to unconditional results in the moduli space of principally polarized abelian surfaces as well as in fibered powers of the Legendre family of elliptic curves.

Tue, 16 Jun 2020

11:30 - 12:45
L6

(Postponed)

Angus Macintyre
(Queen Mary University of London)
Abstract

TBA

Thu, 11 Jun 2020
11:30
Virtual

Covers of modular curves, categoricity and Drinfeld's GT

Boris Zilber
(Oxford)
Abstract

This is a joint work with C.Daw in progress. We study the L_{omega_1,omega}-theory of the modular functions j_n: H -> Y(n). In other words, H is seen here as the universal cover in the class of modular curves. The setting is different from one considered before by Adam Harris and Chris Daw: GL(2,Q) is given here as the sort without naming its individual elements. As usual in the study of 'pseudo-analytic cover structures', the statement of categoricity is equivalent to certain arithmetic conditions, the most challenging of which is to determine the Galois action on CM-points. This turns out to be equivalent to determining the Galois action on SL(2,\hat{Z})/(-1), that is a subgroup of

Out SL(2,\hat{Z})/(-1)   induced by the action of  Gal_Q. We find by direct matrix calculations a subgroup Out_* of the outer automorphisms group which contains the image of Gal_Q. Moreover, we prove that Out_* is the image of Drinfeld's group GT (Grothendieck-Teichmuller group) under a natural homomorphism.

It is a reasonable to conjecture that Out_* is equal to the image of Gal_Q, which would imply the categoricity statement. It follows from the above that our conjecture is a consequence of Drinfeld's conjecture which states that GT is isomorphic to Gal_Q.  

 

 

Thu, 28 May 2020
11:30

Weak canonical bases in NSOP1 theories.

Byunghan Kim
(Yonsei)
Abstract

Recently in a joint work with J. Dobrowolski and N. Ramsey it is shown that in any NSOP1 theory with existence,
Kim-independence satisfies all the basic axioms over sets (except base monotonicity) that hold in simple theories with forking-independence. This is an extension of the earlier work by I. Kaplan and N. Ramsey that such hold over models in any NSOP1 theory. All simple theories; unbounded PAC fields; vector spaces over ACF with bilinear maps; the model companion of the empty theory in any language are typical NSOP1 examples.

   An important issue now is to know the existence of canonical bases. In stable and simple theories well-behaving notion of canonical bases for types over models exists, which is used in almost all the advanced studies. But there are a couple of crucial obstacles in finding canonical bases in NSOP1 theories. In this talk I will report a partial success/limit of the project. Namely, a type of a certain Morley sequence over a model has the weak canonical base. In my talk I will try to explain all the related notions.

Thu, 21 May 2020
11:30

Sets, groups, and fields definable in vector spaces with a bilinear form

Jan Dobrowolski
(Leeds University)
Abstract

 I will report on my recent work on dimension, definable groups, and definable fields in vector spaces over algebraically closed [real closed] fields equipped with a non-degenerate alternating bilinear form or a non-degenerate [positive-definite] symmetric bilinear form. After a brief overview of the background, I will discuss a notion of dimension and some other ingredients of the proof of the main result, which states that, in the above context, every definable group is (algebraic-by-abelian)-by-algebraic [(semialgebraic-by-abelian)-by-semialgebraic]. It follows from this result that every definable field is definable in the field of scalars, hence either finite or definably isomorphic to it [finite or algebraically closed or real closed].
 

Tue, 12 May 2020
15:30

Approximate subgroups with bounded VC dimension

Anand Pillay
(Notre Dame)
Further Information

Part of joint combinatorics - logic seminar.  See 

http://people.maths.ox.ac.uk/scott/dmp.htm

Abstract

This is joint with Gabe Conant. We give a structure theorem for finite subsets A of arbitrary groups G such that A has "small tripling" and "bounded VC dimension". Roughly, A will be a union of a bounded number of translates of a coset nilprogession of bounded rank and step (up to a small error).

Thu, 07 May 2020
17:00

Around classification for NIP theories

Pierre Simon
(UC Berkeley)
Abstract

I will present a conjectural picture of what a classification theory for NIP could look like, in the spirit of Shelah's classification theory for stable structures. Though most of it is speculative, there are some encouraging initial results about the lower levels of the classification, in particular concerning structures which, in some strong sense, do not contain trees.

Thu, 30 Apr 2020
11:30

Fields of finite dp-rank

Will Johnson
(Fudan University)
Abstract

The classification of NIP fields is a major open problem in model theory.  This talk will be an overview of an ongoing attempt to classify NIP fields of finite dp-rank.  Let $K$ be an NIP field that is neither finite nor separably closed.  Conjecturally, $K$ admits exactly one definable, valuation-type field topology (V-topology).  By work of Anscombe, Halevi, Hasson, Jahnke, and others, this conjecture implies a full classification of NIP fields.  We will sketch how this technique was used to classify fields of dp-rank 1, and what goes wrong in higher ranks.  At present, there are two main results generalizing the rank 1 case.  First, if $K$ is an NIP field of positive characteristic (and any rank), then $K$ admits at most one definable V-topology.  Second, if $K$ is an unstable NIP field of finite dp-rank (and any characteristic), then $K$ admits at least one definable V-topology.  These statements combine to yield the classification of positive characteristic fields of finite dp-rank. In characteristic 0, things go awry in a surprising way, and it becomes necessary to study a new class of "finite rank" field topologies, generalizing V-topologies.  The talk will include background information on V-topologies, NIP fields, and dp-rank.

Thu, 12 Mar 2020
11:30
C4

Speeds of hereditary properties and mutual algebricity

Caroline Terry
(Chicago)
Abstract

A hereditary graph property is a class of finite graphs closed under isomorphism and induced subgraphs.  Given a hereditary graph property H, the speed of H is the function which sends an integer n to the number of distinct elements in H with underlying set {1,...,n}.  Not just any function can occur as the speed of hereditary graph property.  Specifically, there are discrete ``jumps" in the possible speeds.  Study of these jumps began with work of Scheinerman and Zito in the 90's, and culminated in a series of papers from the 2000's by Balogh, Bollob\'{a}s, and Weinreich, in which essentially all possible speeds of a hereditary graph property were characterized.  In contrast to this, many aspects of this problem in the hypergraph setting remained unknown.  In this talk we present new hypergraph analogues of many of the jumps from the graph setting, specifically those involving the polynomial, exponential, and factorial speeds.  The jumps in the factorial range turned out to have surprising connections to the model theoretic notion of mutual algebricity, which we also discuss.  This is joint work with Chris Laskowski.

Thu, 27 Feb 2020
11:30
C4

Non-archimedean parametrizations and some bialgebraicity results

François Loeser
(Sorbonne Université)
Abstract

We will provide a general overview on some recent work on non-archimedean parametrizations and their applications. We will start by presenting our work with Cluckers and Comte on the existence of good Yomdin-Gromov parametrizations in the non-archimedean context and a $p$-adic Pila-Wilkie theorem.   We will then explain how this is used in our work with Chambert-Loir to prove bialgebraicity results in products of Mumford curves. 
 

Thu, 13 Feb 2020
11:30
C4

Cardinal invariants and model-theoretic tree properties

Nick Ramsey
(Paris)
Abstract


 In Classification Theory, Shelah defined several cardinal invariants of a complete theory which detect the presence of certain trees among the definable sets, which in turn quantify the complexity of forking.  In later model-theoretic developments, local versions of these invariants were recognized as marking important dividing lines - e.g. simplicity and NTP2.  Around these dividing lines, a dichotomy theorem of Shelah states that a theory has the tree property if and only if it is witnessed in one of two extremal forms--the tree property of the first or second kind--and it was asked if there is a 'quantitative' analogue of this dichotomy in the form of a certain equation among these invariants.  We will describe these model-theoretic invariants and explain why the quantitative version of the dichotomy fails, via a construction that relies upon some unexpected tools from combinatorial set theory. 

 

Thu, 06 Feb 2020
11:30
C4

Partial associativity and rough approximate groups

Jason Long
((Oxford University))
Abstract

 

Given a finite set X, is an easy exercise to show that a binary operation * from XxX to X which is injective in each variable separately, and which is also associative, makes (X,*) into a group. Hrushovski and others have asked what happens if * is only partially associative - do we still get something resembling a group? The answer is known to be yes (in a strong sense) if almost all triples satisfy the associative law. In joint work with Tim Gowers, we consider the so-called `1%' regime, in which we only have an epsilon fraction of triples satisfying the associative law. In this regime, the answer turns out to be rather more subtle, involving certain group-like structures which we call rough approximate groups. I will discuss these objects, and try to give a sense of how they arise, by describing a somewhat combinatorial interpretation of partial associativity.
 

Thu, 23 Jan 2020
11:30
C4

On groups definable in fields with commuting automorphisms

Kaisa Kangas
(Helsinki University)
Abstract

 

We take a look at difference fields with several commuting automorphisms. The theory of difference fields with one distinguished automorphism has a model companion known as ACFA, which Zoe Chatzidakis and Ehud Hrushovski have studied in depth. However, Hrushovski has proved that if you look at fields with two or more commuting automorphisms, then the existentially closed models of the theory do not form a first order model class. We introduce a non-elementary framework for studying them. We then discuss how to generalise a result of Kowalski and Pillay that every definable group (in ACFA) virtually embeds into an algebraic group. This is joint work in progress with Zoe Chatzidakis and Nick Ramsey.

Thu, 05 Dec 2019

11:30 - 12:30
C4

Universally defining finitely generated subrings of global fields

Nicolas Daans
(Antwerpen)
Abstract

   It is a long-standing open problem whether the ring of integers Z has an existential first-order definition in Q, the field of rational numbers. A few years ago, Jochen Koenigsmann proved that Z has a universal first-order definition in Q, building on earlier work by Bjorn Poonen. This result was later generalised to number fields by Jennifer Park and to global function fields of odd characteristic by Kirsten Eisenträger and Travis Morrison, who used classical machinery from number theory and class field theory related to the behaviour of quaternion algebras over global and local fields.


   In this talk, I will sketch a variation on the techniques used to obtain the aforementioned results. It allows for a relatively short and uniform treatment of global fields of all characteristics that is significantly less dependent on class field theory. Instead, a central role is played by Hilbert's Reciprocity Law for quaternion algebras. I will conclude with an example of a non-global set-up where the existence of a reciprocity law similarly yields universal definitions of certain subrings.

Thu, 28 Nov 2019

11:30 - 12:30
C4

Actions of groups of finite Morley rank

Alexandre Borovik
(Manchester University)
Abstract

I will be talking of recent results by Ayse Berkman and myself, as well as about a more general program of research in this area.