Forcing Closed Unbounded Subsets of אω1+1

Using square sequences, a stationary subset ST of אω1+1 is constructed from a tree T of height ω1, uniformly in T. Under suitable hypotheses, adding a closed unbounded subset to ST requires adding a cofinal branch to T or collapsing at least one of ω1, אω1, and אω1+1. An application is that in ZFC there is no parameter free definition of the family of subsets of אω1+1 that have a closed unbounded subset in some ω1, אω1, and אω1+1 preserving outer model.

A Gitik iteration with nearly Easton factoring

We reprove Gitik's theorem that if the GCH holds and o(κ) = κ + 1 then there is a generic extension in which κ is still measurable and there is a closed unbounded subset C of κ such that every ν ∈ C is inaccessible in the ground model.Unlike the forcing used by Gitik, the iterated forcing ℛλ+1 used in this paper has the property that if λ is a cardinal less then κ then ℛλ+1 can be factored in V as ℛκ+1 = ℛλ+1 × ℛλ+1,κ where ∣ℛλ+1∣ ≤ λ+ and ℛλ+1,κ does not add any new subsets of λ.

More on proper forcing

§1. A counterexample and preservation of “proper + X”.Theorem. Suppose V satisfies, , and for some A ⊆ ω1, every B ⊆ ω1, belongs to L[A].Then we can define a countable support iterationsuch that the following conditions hold:a) EachQiis proper and ⊩Pi “Qi, has power ℵ1”.b) Each Qi is -complete for some simple ℵ1-completeness system.c) Forcing with Pα = Lim adds reals.Proof. We shall define Qi by induction on i so that conditions a) and b) are satisfied, and Ci, is a Qi-name of a closed unbounded subset of ω1. Let : ξ < ω1› ∈ L[A] be a list of all functions f which are from δ to δ for some δ < ω1 and let h: ω1 → ω1, h ∈ L[A], be defined by h(α) = Min{β: β > α and Lβ[A]⊨ “∣α∣ = ℵ0”}.Suppose we have defined Qj for every j < i; then Pi is defined, is proper (as each Qj, j < i, is proper, and by III 3.2) and has a dense subset of power ℵ (by III 4.1). Let Gi ⊆ Pi be generic so clearly there is B ⊆ ω1, such that in V[Gi] every subset of ω1 belongs to L[A, B], The following now follows:Fact. In V[Gi], every countableN ⥽(H(ℵ2), ∈, A, B) is isomorphic toLβ[A ∩ δ, B ∩ δ] for some β < h(δ), where δ = δ(N) = ω1, ∩ N.

Adding a closed unbounded set

The extreme interest of set theorists in the notion of “closed unbounded set” is epitomized in the following well-known theorem:Theorem A. For any regular cardinal κ > ω, the intersection of any two closed unbounded subsets of κ is closed and unbounded.The proof of this theorem is easy and in fact yields a stronger result, namely that for any uncountable regular cardinal κ the intersection of fewer than κ many closed unbounded sets is closed and unbounded. Thus, if, for κ a regular uncountable cardinal, we let denote {A ⊆ κ ∣ A contains a closed unbounded subset}, then, for any such κ, is a κ-additive nonprincipal filter on κ.Now what about the possibility of being an ultrafilterκ It is routine to see that this is impossible for κ > ℵ1. However, for κ = ℵ1 the situation is different. If were an ultrafilter, ℵ1 would be a measurable cardinal. As is well-known this is impossible if we assume the axiom of choice; however if ZF + “there exists a measurable cardinal” is consistent, then so is ZF + “ℵ1 is a measurable cardinal” [2]. Furthermore, under the assumption of certain set theoretic axioms (such as the axiom of determinateness or various infinite exponent partition relations) can be proven to be an ultrafilter. (See [3] and [5].)