Generalized Bohr compactification and model-theoretic connected components

TL;DR

This paper explores the relationships between model-theoretic invariants, generalized Bohr compactifications, and amenability in definable groups, providing new descriptions and conditions for their equivalences in various model-theoretic contexts.

Contribution

It introduces a new invariant for definable groups and establishes its connections with generalized Bohr compactifications and amenability, extending classical results to broader model-theoretic settings.

Findings

The new invariant lies between the generalized and definable Bohr compactifications.

When all types are definable, these compactifications coincide.

For NIP theories, definable amenability is equivalent to external definable strong amenability.

Abstract

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.