We study universal-existential fragments of first-order theories of fields, in particular of function fields and of equicharacteristic henselian valued fields. For example, we discuss to what extent the theory of a field k determines the universal-existential theories of the rational function field over k and of the field of Laurent series over k, and we find various many-one reductions between such fragments.

Dedicated to the memory of Alexander Prestel (1941–2024)

We study infinite groups interpretable in power bounded T-convex, V-minimal or p-adically closed fields. We show that if G is an interpretable definably semisimple group (i.e., has no definable infinite normal abelian subgroups) then, up to a finite index subgroup, it is definably isogenous to a group $G_1\times G_2$, where $G_1$ is a K-linear group and $G_2$ is a $\mathbf {k}$-linear group. The analysis is carried out by studying the interaction of G with four distinguished sorts: the valued field K, the residue field $\mathbf {k}$, the value group $\Gamma $, and the closed $0$-balls $K/\mathcal {O}$.

We prove that the class of separably algebraically closed valued fields equipped with a distinguished Frobenius endomorphism $x \mapsto x^q$ is decidable, uniformly in q. The result is a simultaneous generalization of the work of Chatzidakis and Hrushovski (in the case of the trivial valuation) and the work of the first author and Hrushovski (in the case where the fields are algebraically closed).

The logical setting for the proof is a model completeness result for valued fields equipped with an endomorphism $\sigma $ which is locally infinitely contracting and fails to be onto. Namely, we prove the existence of a model complete theory $\widetilde {\mathrm {VFE}}$ amalgamating the theories $\mathrm {SCFE}$ and $\widetilde {\mathrm {VFA}}$ introduced in [5] and [11], respectively. In characteristic zero, we also prove that $\widetilde {\mathrm {VFE}}$ is NTP$_2$ and classify the stationary types: they are precisely those orthogonal to the fixed field and the value group.

For a group G, a subgroup $U \leqslant G$ and a group A such that $\mathrm {Inn}(G) \leqslant A \leqslant \mathrm {Aut}(G)$, we say that U is an A-covering group of G if $G = \bigcup _{a\in A}U^a$. A theorem of Jordan (1872), implies that if G is a finite group, $A = \mathrm {Inn}(G)$ and U is an A-covering group of G, then $U = G$. Motivated by a question concerning Kronecker classes of field extensions, Neumann and Praeger (1990) conjectured that, more generally, there is an integer function f such that if G is a finite group and U is an A-covering subgroup of G, then $|G:U| \leqslant f(|A:\mathrm {Inn}(G)|)$. A key piece of evidence for this conjecture is a theorem of Praeger [‘Kronecker classes of fields and covering subgroups of finite groups’, J. Aust. Math. Soc. 57 (1994), 17–34], which asserts that there is a two-variable integer function g such that if G is a finite group and U is an A-covering subgroup of G, then $|G:U|\leqslant g(|A:\mathrm {Inn}(G)|,c)$, where c is the number of A-chief factors of G. Unfortunately, the proof of this theorem contains an error. In this paper, using a different argument, we give a correct proof of the theorem.

Pre-H-fields are ordered valued differential fields satisfying some basic axioms coming from transseries and Hardy fields. We study pre-H-fields that are differential-Hensel–Liouville closed, that is, differential-henselian, real closed, and closed under exponential integration, establishing an Ax–Kochen/Ershov theorem for such structures: the theory of a differential-Hensel–Liouville closed pre-H-field is determined by the theory of its ordered differential residue field; this result fails if the assumption of closure under exponential integration is dropped. In a two-sorted setting with one sort for a differential-Hensel–Liouville closed pre-H-field and one sort for its ordered differential residue field, we eliminate quantifiers from the pre-H-field sort, from which we deduce that the ordered differential residue field is purely stably embedded and if it has NIP, then so does the two-sorted structure. Similarly, the one-sorted theory of differential-Hensel–Liouville closed pre-H-fields with closed ordered differential residue field has quantifier elimination, is the model completion of the theory of pre-H-fields with gap $0$, and is complete, distal, and locally o-minimal.

Let $p$ be a prime number and let $F$ be a field of characteristic different from $p$. We prove that there exist a field extension $L/F$ and $a,b,c,d$ in $L^{\times }$ such that $(a,b)=(b,c)=(c,d)=0$ in $\mathrm {Br}(L)[p]$ but the mod p Massey product $\langle a,b,c,d\rangle$ is not defined over $L$. Thus, the strong Massey vanishing conjecture at the prime $p$ fails for $L$, and the cochain differential graded ring $C^{* }(\Gamma _L,\mathbb Z/p\mathbb Z)$ of the absolute Galois group $\Gamma _L$ of $L$ is not formal. This answers a question of Positselski. As our main tool, we define a secondary obstruction that detects non-triviality of unramified torsors under tori, and which is of independent interest.

We show that if a field A is not pseudo-finite, then there is no prime model of the theory of pseudo-finite fields over A. Assuming GCH, we extend this result to $\kappa $-prime models, for $\kappa $ an uncountable cardinal or $\aleph _\varepsilon $.

Arithmetic-geometric mean sequences were already studied over the real and complex numbers, and recently, Griffin et al. [‘AGM and jellyfish swarms of elliptic curves’, Amer. Math. Monthly 130(4) (2023), 355–369] considered them over finite fields $\mathbb {F}_q$ for $q \equiv 3 \pmod 4$. We extend the definition of arithmetic-geometric mean sequences over $\mathbb {F}_q$ to $q \equiv 5 \pmod 8$. We explain the connection of these sequences with graphs and explore the properties of the graphs in the case where $q \equiv 5 \pmod 8$.

Let $g(x)=x^3+ax^2+bx+c$ and $f(x)=g(x^3)$ be irreducible polynomials with rational coefficients, and let $ {\mathrm{Gal}}(f)$ be the Galois group of $f(x)$ over $\mathbb {Q}$. We show $ {\mathrm{Gal}}(f)$ is one of 11 possible transitive subgroups of $S_9$, defined up to conjugacy; we use $ {\mathrm{Disc}}(f)$, $ {\mathrm{Disc}}(g)$ and two additional low-degree resolvent polynomials to identify $ {\mathrm{Gal}}(f)$. We further show how our method can be used for determining one-parameter families for a given group. Also included is a related algorithm that, given a field $L/\mathbb {Q}$, determines when L can be defined by an irreducible polynomial of the form $g(x^3)$ and constructs such a polynomial when it exists.

In [2], Pillay introduced definable Galois cohomology, a model-theoretic generalization of Galois cohomology. Let M be an atomic and strongly $\omega $-homogeneous structure over a set of parameters A. Let B be a normal extension of A in M. We show that a short exact sequence of automorphism groups $1 \to \operatorname {\mathrm {Aut}}(M/B) \to \operatorname {\mathrm {Aut}}(M/A) \to \operatorname {\mathrm {Aut}}(B/A) \to 1$ induces a short exact sequence in definable Galois cohomology. We also discuss compatibilities with [3]. Our result complements the long exact sequence in definable Galois cohomology developed in [4].

Let (K, v) be a valued field and $\phi\in K[x]$ be any key polynomial for a residue-transcendental extension w of v to K(x). In this article, using the ϕ-Newton polygon of a polynomial $f\in K[x]$ (with respect to w), we give a lower bound for the degree of an irreducible factor of f. This generalizes the result given in Jakhar and Srinivas (On the irreducible factors of a polynomial II, J. Algebra 556 (2020), 649–655).

We consider the relationship between the Mahler measure $M(f)$ of a polynomial f and its separation $\operatorname {sep}(f)$. Mahler [‘An inequality for the discriminant of a polynomial’, Michigan Math. J. 11 (1964), 257–262] proved that if $f(x) \in \mathbb {Z}[x]$ is separable of degree n, then $\operatorname {sep}(f) \gg _n M(f)^{-(n-1)}$. This spurred further investigations into the implicit constant involved in that relationship and led to questions about the optimal exponent on $M(f)$. However, there has been relatively little study concerning upper bounds on $\operatorname {sep}(f)$ in terms of $M(f)$. We prove that if $f(x) \in \mathbb {C}[x]$ has degree n, then $\operatorname {sep}(f) \ll n^{-1/2}M(f)^{1/(n-1)}$. Moreover, this bound is sharp up to the implied constant factor. We further investigate the constant factor under various additional assumptions on $f(x)$; for example, if it has only real roots.

We provide a characterization of differentially large fields in arbitrary characteristic and a single derivation in the spirit of Blum axioms for differentially closed fields. In the case of characteristic zero, we use these axioms to characterize differential largeness in terms of being existentially closed in the differential algebraic Laurent series ring, and we prove that any large field of infinite transcendence degree can be expanded to a differentially large field even under certain prescribed constant fields. As an application, we show that the theory of proper dense pairs of models of a complete and model-complete theory of large fields, is a complete theory. As a further consequence of the expansion result we show that there is no real closed and differential field that has a prime model extension in closed ordered differential fields, unless it is itself a closed ordered differential field.

We examine the consequences of having a total division operation $\frac {x}{y}$ on commutative rings. We consider two forms of binary division, one derived from a unary inverse, the other defined directly as a general operation; each are made total by setting $1/0$ equal to an error value $\bot $, which is added to the ring. Such totalised divisions we call common divisions. In a field the two forms are equivalent and we have a finite equational axiomatisation E that is complete for the equational theory of fields equipped with common division, which are called common meadows. These equational axioms E turn out to be true of commutative rings with common division but only when defined via inverses. We explore these axioms E and their role in seeking a completeness theorem for the conditional equational theory of common meadows. We prove they are complete for the conditional equational theory of commutative rings with inverse based common division. By adding a new proof rule, we can prove a completeness theorem for the conditional equational theory of common meadows. Although, the equational axioms E fail with common division defined directly, we observe that the direct division does satisfy the equations in E under a new congruence for partial terms called eager equality.

We study the question of $\mathcal {L}_{\mathrm {ring}}$-definability of non-trivial henselian valuation rings. Building on previous work of Jahnke and Koenigsmann, we provide a characterization of henselian fields that admit a non-trivial definable henselian valuation. In particular, we treat the cases where the canonical henselian valuation has positive residue characteristic, using techniques from the model theory and algebra of tame fields.

Several structural results about permutation groups of finite rank definable in differentially closed fields of characteristic zero (and other similar theories) are obtained. In particular, it is shown that every finite rank definably primitive permutation group is definably isomorphic to an algebraic permutation group living in the constants. Applications include the verification, in differentially closed fields, of the finite Morley rank permutation group conjectures of Borovik-Deloro and Borovik-Cherlin. Applying the results to binding groups for internality to the constants, it is deduced that if complete types p and q are of rank m and n, respectively, and are nonorthogonal, then the $(m+3)$rd Morley power of p is not weakly orthogonal to the $(n+3)$rd Morley power of q. An application to transcendence of generic solutions of pairs of algebraic differential equations is given.

We study the geometry of tropical extensions of hyperfields, including the ordinary, signed, and complex tropical hyperfields. We introduce the framework of ‘enriched valuations’ as hyperfield homomorphisms to tropical extensions and show that a notable family of them are relatively algebraically closed. Our main results are hyperfield analogues of Kapranov’s theorem and the Fundamental theorem of tropical geometry. Utilizing these theorems, we introduce fine tropical varieties and prove a structure theorem for them in terms of their initial ideals.

Let ${\mathbb K}$ be an algebraically bounded structure, and let T be its theory. If T is model complete, then the theory of ${\mathbb K}$ endowed with a derivation, denoted by $T^{\delta }$, has a model completion. Additionally, we prove that if the theory T is stable/NIP then the model completion of $T^{\delta }$ is also stable/NIP. Similar results hold for the theory with several derivations, either commuting or non-commuting.

Motivated by the recent work of Zhi-Wei Sun [‘Problems and results on determinants involving Legendre symbols’, Preprint, arXiv:2405.03626], we study some matrices concerning subgroups of finite fields. For example, let $q\equiv 3\pmod 4$ be an odd prime power and let $\phi $ be the unique quadratic multiplicative character of the finite field $\mathbb {F}_q$. If the set $\{s_1,\ldots ,s_{(q-1)/2}\}=\{x^2:\ x\in \mathbb {F}_q\setminus \{0\}\}$, then we prove that

$$ \begin{align*}\det[t+\phi(s_i+s_j)+\phi(s_i-s_j)]_{1\le i,j\le (q-1)/2}=\bigg(\frac{q-1}{2}t-1\bigg)q^{{(q-3)}/{4}}.\end{align*} $$

This confirms a conjecture of Zhi-Wei Sun.

We give explicit formulas witnessing IP, IP$_{\!n}$, or TP2 in fields with Artin–Schreier extensions. We use them to control p-extensions of mixed characteristic henselian valued fields, allowing us most notably to generalize to the NIP$_{\!n}$ context one way of Anscombe–Jahnke’s classification of NIP henselian valued fields. As a corollary, we obtain that NIP$_{\!n}$ henselian valued fields with NIP residue field are NIP. We also discuss tameness results for NTP2 henselian valued fields.