Definable V-topologies, Henselianity and NIP

We initiate the study of definable [Formula: see text]-topologies and show that there is at most one such [Formula: see text]-topology on a [Formula: see text]-henselian NIP field. Equivalently, we show that if [Formula: see text] is a bi-valued NIP field with [Formula: see text] henselian (respectively, [Formula: see text]-henselian), then [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are comparable (respectively, dependent). As a consequence, Shelah’s conjecture for NIP fields implies the henselianity conjecture for NIP fields. Furthermore, the latter conjecture is proved for any field admitting a henselian valuation with a dp-minimal residue field. We conclude by showing that Shelah’s conjecture is equivalent to the statement that any NIP field not contained in the algebraic closure of a finite field is [Formula: see text]-henselian.

Defining Coarsenings of Valuations

We study the question of which Henselian fields admit definable Henselian valuations (with or without parameters). We show that every field that admits a Henselian valuation with non-divisible value group admits a parameter-definable (non-trivial) Henselian valuation. In equicharacteristic 0, we give a complete characterization of Henselian fields admitting a parameter-definable (non-trivial) Henselian valuation. We also obtain partial characterization results of fields admitting -definable (non-trivial) Henselian valuations. We then draw some Galois-theoretic conclusions from our results.

DEFINABLE HENSELIAN VALUATION RINGS

We give model theoretic criteria for the existence of ∃∀ and ∀∃- formulas in the ring language to define uniformly the valuation rings ${\cal O}$ of models $\left( {K,\,{\cal O}} \right)$ of an elementary theory Σ of henselian valued fields. As one of the applications we obtain the existence of an ∃∀-formula defining uniformly the valuation rings ${\cal O}$ of valued henselian fields $\left( {K,\,{\cal O}} \right)$ whose residue class field k is finite, pseudofinite, or hilbertian. We also obtain ∀∃-formulas φ2 and φ4 such that φ2 defines uniformly k[[t]] in k(t) whenever k is finite or the function field of a real or complex curve, and φ4 replaces φ2 if k is any number field.

Characterizing Distinguished Pairs by Using Liftings of Irreducible Polynomials

Let v be a henselian valuation of any rank of a field K and let be the unique extension of v to a fixed algebraic closure of K. In 2005, we studied properties of those pairs (θ,α) of elements of with where α is an element of smallest degree over K such thatSuch pairs are referred to as distinguished pairs. We use the concept of liftings of irreducible polynomials to give a different characterization of distinguished pairs.

DEFINABLE HENSELIAN VALUATIONS

In this note we investigate the question when a henselian valued field carries a nontrivial ∅-definable henselian valuation (in the language of rings). This is clearly not possible when the field is either separably or real closed, and, by the work of Prestel and Ziegler, there are further examples of henselian valued fields which do not admit a ∅-definable nontrivial henselian valuation. We give conditions on the residue field which ensure the existence of a parameter-free definition. In particular, we show that a henselian valued field admits a nontrivial henselian ∅-definable valuation when the residue field is separably closed or sufficiently nonhenselian, or when the absolute Galois group of the (residue) field is nonuniversal.

EXISTENTIAL ∅-DEFINABILITY OF HENSELIAN VALUATION RINGS

In [1], Anscombe and Koenigsmann give an existential ∅-definition of the ring of formal power series F[[t]] in its quotient field in the case where F is finite. We extend their method in several directions to give general definability results for henselian valued fields with finite or pseudo-algebraically closed residue fields.

Constructing complete distinguished chains with given invariants

Let v be a henselian valuation of arbitrary rank of a field K with value group G(K) and residue field R(K) and [Formula: see text] be the unique extension of v to a fixed algebraic closure [Formula: see text] of K with value group [Formula: see text]. It is known that a complete distinguished chain for an element θ belonging to [Formula: see text] with respect to (K, v) gives rise to several invariants associated to θ, including a chain of subgroups of [Formula: see text], a tower of fields, together with a sequence of elements belonging to [Formula: see text] which are the same for all K-conjugates of θ. These invariants satisfy some fundamental relations. In this paper, we deal with the converse: Given a chain of subgroups of [Formula: see text] containing G(K), a tower of extension fields of R(K), and a finite sequence of elements of [Formula: see text] satisfying certain properties, it is shown that there exists a complete distinguished chain for an element [Formula: see text] associated to these invariants. We use the notion of lifting of polynomials to construct it.