Stable-tree decomposition conjecture for finite models

Let KK be a class of finite models with a distinguished relation K\prec_K, and let P1,,PnP_1,\ldots,P_n be properties of K,K\langle K,\prec_K\rangle. For a finite tree Tω<ωT\subseteq{}^{\omega<}\omega, let {MηKM:ηT}\{M_\eta\prec_K M:\eta\in T\} be a family of substructures of MM; call it a stable tree when it is stable in the sense of stable amalgamation.

Stable-tree decomposition conjecture. If K,K\langle K,\prec_K\rangle satisfies P1,,PnP_1,\ldots,P_n, then for every sufficiently large MKM\in K there exist a finite tree Tω<ωT\subseteq{}^{\omega<}\omega and a family {MηKM:ηT}\{M_\eta\prec_K M:\eta\in T\} such that

{Mη:ηT} is a stable tree,\{M_\eta:\eta\in T\}\text{ is a stable tree}, Mηn(K)for every ηT,\|M_\eta\|\leq n(K)\quad\text{for every }\eta\in T,

and MM is uniquely determined by ηTMη\bigcup_{\eta\in T}|M_\eta|.

This is proposed as a decomposition theorem for sufficiently large finite models, analogous in spirit to structural decomposition results such as the theorem for finite abelian groups. The source does not establish the conjecture or specify the properties P1,,PnP_1,\ldots,P_n; it also notes that cardinality may not be the appropriate notion of smallness for the substructures.

Sources & referencesView supporting material

Primary source

Doug Ensley and Rami Grossberg, “Finite models, stability, and Ramsey's theorem”, arXiv:math/9608205 (1996).

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