Universal partial indestructibility and strong compactness

For any ordinal δ, let λ_δ be the least inaccessible cardinal above δ. We force and construct a model in which the least supercompact cardinal κ is indestructible under κ‐directed closed forcing and in which every measurable cardinal δ < κ is < λ_δ strongly compact and has its < λ_δ strong compactness indestructible under δ‐directed closed forcing of rank less than λ_δ. In this model, κ is also the least strongly compact cardinal. We also establish versions of this result in which κ is the least strongly compact cardinal but is not supercompact. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Indestructibility, instances of strong compactness, and level by level inequivalence

Suppose λ > κ is measurable. We show that if κ is either indestructibly supercompact or indestructibly strong, then A = {δ < κ | δ is measurable, yet δ is neither δ ⁺ strongly compact nor a limit of measurable cardinals} must be unbounded in κ. The large cardinal hypothesis on λ is necessary, as we further demonstrate by constructing via forcing two models in which ${A = \emptyset}$ . The first of these contains a supercompact cardinal κ and is such that no cardinal δ > κ is measurable, κ’s supercompactness is indestructible under κ-directed closed, (κ ⁺, ∞)-distributive forcing, and every measurable cardinal δ < κ is δ ⁺ strongly compact. The second of these contains a strong cardinal κ and is such that no cardinal δ > κ is measurable, κ’s strongness is indestructible under < κ-strategically closed, (κ ⁺, ∞)-distributive forcing, and level by level inequivalence between strong compactness and supercompactness holds. The model from the first of our forcing constructions is used to show that it is consistent, relative to a supercompact cardinal, for the least cardinal κ which is both strong and has its strongness indestructible under κ-directed closed, (κ ⁺, ∞)-distributive forcing to be the same as the least supercompact cardinal, which has its supercompactness indestructible under κ-directed closed, (κ ⁺, ∞)-distributive forcing. It further follows as a corollary of the first of our forcing constructions that it is possible to build a model containing a supercompact cardinal κ in which no cardinal δ > κ is measurable, κ is indestructibly supercompact, and every measurable cardinal δ < κ which is not a limit of measurable cardinals is δ ⁺ strongly compact.     

Indestructibility and level by level equivalence and inequivalence

If κ < λ are such that κ is indestructibly supercompact and λ is 2^λ supercompact, it is known from [4] that

• {δ < κ | δ is a measurable cardinal which is not a limit of measurable cardinals and δ violates level by level equivalence between strong compactness and supercompactness}

must be unbounded in κ. On the other hand, using a variant of the argument used to establish this fact, it is possible to prove that if κ < λ are such that κ is indestructibly supercompact and λ is measurable, then

• {δ < κ | δ is a measurable cardinal which is not a limit of measurable cardinals and δ satisfies level by level equivalence between strong compactness and supercompactness}

must be unbounded in κ. The two aforementioned phenomena, however, need not occur in a universe with an indestructibly supercompact cardinal and sufficiently few large cardinals. In particular, we show how to construct a model with an indestructibly supercompact cardinal κ in which if δ < κ is a measurable cardinal which is not a limit of measurable cardinals, then δ must satisfy level by level equivalence between strong compactness and supercompactness. We also, however, show how to construct a model with an indestructibly supercompact cardinal κ in which if δ < κ is a measurable cardinal which is not a limit of measurable cardinals, then δ must violate level by level equivalence between strong compactness and supercompactness. (© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Inner models with large cardinal features usually obtained by forcing

We construct a variety of inner models exhibiting features usually obtained by forcing over universes with large cardinals. For example, if there is a supercompact cardinal, then there is an inner model with a Laver indestructible supercompact cardinal. If there is a supercompact cardinal, then there is an inner model with a supercompact cardinal κ for which 2 ^κ ?=?κ ⁺, another for which 2 ^κ ?=?κ ⁺⁺ and another in which the least strongly compact cardinal is supercompact. If there is a strongly compact cardinal, then there is an inner model with a strongly compact cardinal, for which the measurable cardinals are bounded below it and another inner model W with a strongly compact cardinal κ, such that ${H^{V}_{\kappa^+} \subseteq {\rm HOD}^W}$ . Similar facts hold for supercompact, measurable and strongly Ramsey cardinals. If a cardinal is supercompact up to a weakly iterable cardinal, then there is an inner model of the Proper Forcing Axiom and another inner model with a supercompact cardinal in which GCH?+?V?=?HOD holds. Under the same hypothesis, there is an inner model with level by level equivalence between strong compactness and supercompactness, and indeed, another in which there is level by level inequivalence between strong compactness and supercompactness. If a cardinal is strongly compact up to a weakly iterable cardinal, then there is an inner model in which the least measurable cardinal is strongly compact. If there is a weakly iterable limit δ of <δ-supercompact cardinals, then there is an inner model with a proper class of Laver-indestructible supercompact cardinals. We describe three general proof methods, which can be used to prove many similar results.     

Level by level equivalence and strong compactness

We force and construct models in which there are non‐supercompact strongly compact cardinals which aren't measurable limits of strongly compact cardinals and in which level by level equivalence between strong compactness and supercompactness holds non‐trivially except at strongly compact cardinals. In these models, every measurable cardinal κ which isn't either strongly compact or a witness to a certain phenomenon first discovered by Menas is such that for every regular cardinal λ > κ, κ is λ strongly compact iff κ is λ supercompact. (© 2003 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Indestructibility under adding Cohen subsets and level by level equivalence

We construct a model for the level by level equivalence between strong compactness and supercompactness in which the least supercompact cardinal κ has its strong compactness indestructible under adding arbitrarily many Cohen subsets. There are no restrictions on the large cardinal structure of our model (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Supercompactness and level by level equivalence are compatible with indestructibility for strong compactness

It is known that if are such that κ is indestructibly supercompact and λ is 2^λ supercompact, then level by level equivalence between strong compactness and supercompactness fails. We prove a theorem which points towards this result being best possible. Specifically, we show that relative to the existence of a supercompact cardinal, there is a model for level by level equivalence between strong compactness and supercompactness containing a supercompact cardinal κ in which κ’s strong compactness is indestructible under κ-directed closed forcing. The author’s research was partially supported by PSC-CUNY Grant 66489-00-35 and a CUNY Collaborative Incentive Grant.     

Supercompactness and measurable limits of strong cardinals II: Applications to level by level equivalence

We construct models for the level by level equivalence between strong compactness and supercompactness in which for κ the least supercompact cardinal and δ ≤ κ any cardinal which is either a strong cardinal or a measurable limit of strong cardinals, 2^δ > δ ⁺ and δ is < 2^δ supercompact. In these models, the structure of the class of supercompact cardinals can be arbitrary, and the size of the power set of κ can essentially be made as large as desired. This extends and generalizes [5, Theorem 2] and [4, Theorem 4]. We also sketch how our techniques can be used to establish a weak indestructibility result. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Some remarks on indestructibility and Hamkins’ lottery preparation

In this paper, we first prove several general theorems about strongness, supercompactness, and indestructibility, along the way giving some new applications of Hamkins lottery preparation forcing to indestructibility. We then show that it is consistent, relative to the existence of cardinals < so that is supercompact and is inaccessible, for the least strongly compact cardinal to be the least strong cardinal and to have its strongness, but not its strong compactness, indestructible under -strategically closed forcing. Mathematics Subject Classification (2000):03E35, 03E55     

Indestructible strong compactness and level by level inequivalence

If are such that δ is indestructibly supercompact and γ is measurable, then it must be the case that level by level inequivalence between strong compactness and supercompactness fails. We prove a theorem which points to this result being best possible. Specifically, we show that relative to the existence of cardinals such that κ₁ is λ‐supercompact and λ is inaccessible, there is a model for level by level inequivalence between strong compactness and supercompactness containing a supercompact cardinal in which κ’s strong compactness, but not supercompactness, is indestructible under κ‐directed closed forcing. In this model, κ is the least strongly compact cardinal, and no cardinal is supercompact up to an inaccessible cardinal.     

Strong Cardinals can be Fully Laver Indestructible

We prove three theorems which show that it is relatively consistent for any strong cardinal κ to be fully Laver indestructible under κ‐directed closed forcing.     

Indestructible Weakly Compact Cardinals and the Necessity of Supercompactness for Certain Proof Schemata

We show that if the weak compactness of a cardinal is made indestructible by means of any preparatory forcing of a certain general type, including any forcing naively resembling the Laver preparation, then the cardinal was originally supercompact. We then apply this theorem to show that the hypothesis of supercompactness is necessary for certain proof schemata.     

Strong Compactness and a Global Version of a Theorem of Ben‐David and Magidor

Starting with a model in which κ is the least inaccessible limit of cardinals δ which are δ⁺ strongly compact, we force and construct a model in which κ remains inaccessible and in which, for every cardinal γ < κ, □_γ+ω fails but □_{γ+ω, ω} holds. This generalizes a result of Ben‐David and Magidor and provides an analogue in the context of strong compactness to a result of the author and Cummings in the context of supercompactness.     

Tallness and level by level equivalence and inequivalence

We construct two models containing exactly one supercompact cardinal in which all non‐supercompact measurable cardinals are strictly taller than they are either strongly compact or supercompact. In the first of these models, level by level equivalence between strong compactness and supercompactness holds. In the other, level by level inequivalence between strong compactness and supercompactness holds. Each universe has only one strongly compact cardinal and contains relatively few large cardinals (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Destructibility of stationary subsets of Pκλ

For a regular cardinal κ with κ ^<κ = κ and κ ≤ λ , we construct generically (forcing by a < κ‐closed κ ⁺‐c. c. p. o.‐set ℙ₀) a subset S of {x ∈ P _κ λ : x ∩ κ is a singular ordinal} such that S is stationary in a strong sense (F ^IA_κ λ ‐stationary in our terminology) but the stationarity of S can be destroyed by a κ ⁺‐c. c. forcing ℙ* (in V ^ℙ) which does not add any new element of P _κ λ . Actually ℙ* can be chosen so that ℙ* is κ‐strategically closed. However we show that such ℙ* itself cannot be κ‐strategically closed or even <κ‐strategically closed if κ is inaccessible. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Identity crises and strong compactness III: Woodin cardinals

We show that it is consistent, relative to n ∈ ω supercompact cardinals, for the strongly compact and measurable Woodin cardinals to coincide precisely. In particular, it is consistent for the first n strongly compact cardinals to be the first n measurable Woodin cardinals, with no cardinal above the n^th strongly compact cardinal being measurable. In addition, we show that it is consistent, relative to a proper class of supercompact cardinals, for the strongly compact cardinals and the cardinals which are both strong cardinals and Woodin cardinals to coincide precisely. We also show how the techniques employed can be used to prove additional theorems about possible relationships between Woodin cardinals and strongly compact cardinals. The first author's research was partially supported by PSC-CUNY Grant 66489-00-35 and a CUNY Collaborative Incentive Grant.     

More on the Least Strongly Compact Cardinal

We show that it is consistent, relative to a supercompact limit of supercompact cardinals, for the least strongly compact cardinal k to be both the least measurable cardinal and to be > 2^k supercompact.     

Indestructibility and destructible measurable cardinals

Say that \({\kappa}\)’s measurability is destructible if there exists a < \({\kappa}\)-closed forcing adding a new subset of \({\kappa}\) which destroys \({\kappa}\)’s measurability. For any δ, let λ_δ =_df The least beth fixed point above δ. Suppose that \({\kappa}\) is indestructibly supercompact and there is a measurable cardinal λ > \({\kappa}\). It then follows that \({A_{1} = \{\delta < \kappa \mid \delta}\) is measurable, δ is not a limit of measurable cardinals, δ is not δ⁺ strongly compact, and δ’s measurability is destructible when forcing with partial orderings having rank below λ_δ} is unbounded in \({\kappa}\). On the other hand, under the same hypotheses, \({A_{2} = \{\delta < \kappa \mid \delta}\) is measurable, δ is not a limit of measurable cardinals, δ is not δ⁺ strongly compact, and δ′s measurability is indestructible when forcing with either Add(δ, 1) or Add(δ, δ⁺)} is unbounded in \({\kappa}\) as well. The large cardinal hypothesis on λ is necessary, as we further demonstrate by constructing via forcing two distinct models in which either \({A_{1} = \emptyset}\) or \({A_{2} = \emptyset}\). In each of these models, both of which have restricted large cardinal structures above \({\kappa}\), every measurable cardinal δ which is not a limit of measurable cardinals is δ⁺ strongly compact, and there is an indestructibly supercompact cardinal \({\kappa}\). In the model in which \({A_{1} = \emptyset}\), every measurable cardinal δ which is not a limit of measurable cardinals is <λ_δ strongly compact and has its <λ_δ strong compactness (and hence also its measurability) indestructible when forcing with δ-directed closed partial orderings having rank below λ_δ. The choice of the least beth fixed point above δ is arbitrary, and other values of λ_δ are also possible.     

Failures of GCH and the level by level equivalence between strong compactness and supercompactness

We force and obtain three models in which level by level equivalence between strong compactness and supercompactness holds and in which, below the least supercompact cardinal, GCH fails unboundedly often. In two of these models, GCH fails on a set having measure 1 with respect to certain canonical measures. There are no restrictions in all of our models on the structure of the class of supercompact cardinals. (© 2003 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)