Nairian Models

TL;DR

This paper introduces Nairian models, a hierarchy of models of the Axiom of Determinacy, and uses them to derive results about forcing, large cardinals, and obstructions in inner model theory.

Contribution

It constructs new Nairian models to explore the limits of inner model theory and forcing, providing answers to open questions about large cardinals and iterability.

Findings

Constructed models satisfying ZFC+MM++(c)+ negations of square principles.

Demonstrated the failure of the Iterability Conjecture in certain models.

Provided a negative answer to a question about the equiconsistency of supercompactness and Woodin cardinals.

Abstract

We introduce a hierarchy of models of the Axiom of Determinacy called \emph{Nairian models}. Forcing over the simplest Nairian model, we obtain a model of ${\sf{ZFC}}+{\sf{MM^{++}}}(c)+\neg\square_{\omega_3}+\neg\square(\omega_3)$. Then, fixing $n\in [3, \omega)$, we design a Nairian model and force over it to produce a model of ${\sf{ZFC}}+{\sf{MM^{++}}}(c)+\forall i\in [2, n]\, \neg\square(\omega_i)$. We also build a Nairian model that satisfies ${\sf{ZF}}+"\omega_1$ is a supercompact cardinal." We obtain as corollaries of these constructions (1) the consistent failure of the Iterability Conjecture for the Mitchell-Schindler $\sf{K}^{c}$ construction, (2) the consistent failure of the Iterability Conjecture for the $\sf{K}^{c}$ construction using $2^{2^{\dots 2^{\omega}}}$-complete (for any finite stack of exponents) background extenders, answering a strong version of a question asked by Steel, and (3) a negative answer to Trang's question whether ${\sf{ZF}}+"\omega_1$ is a supercompact cardinal" is equiconsistent with ${\sf{ZFC}}+"$there is a proper class of Woodin cardinals that are limits of Woodin cardinals." These corollaries identify obstructions to extending the methods of (descriptive) inner model theory past a Woodin cardinal which is a limit of Woodin cardinals.