Strong independence and its spectrum

Abstract: For $\mu, \kappa$ infinite, say $\mathcal{A}\subseteq [\kappa]^\kappa$ is a $(\mu,\kappa)$-maximal independent family if whenever $\mathcal{A}0$ and $\mathcal{A}_1$ are pairwise disjoint non-empty in $[\mathcal{A}]^{<\mu}$ then $\bigcap\mathcal{A}_0\backslash\bigcup\mathcal{A}_1 \not= \emptyset$, $\mathcal{A}$ is maximal under inclusion among families with this property, and moreover all such Booelan combinations have size $\kappa$. We denote by $\mathfrak{sp}{\mathfrak i}(\mu,\kappa)$ the set of all cardinalities of such families, and if non-empty, we let $\mathfrak{i}\mu(\kappa)$ be its minimal element. Thus, $\mathfrak{i}\mu(\kappa)$ (if defined) is a natural higher analogue of the independence number on $\omega$ for the higher Baire spaces. In this paper, we study $\mathfrak{sp}{\mathfrak i}(\mu,\kappa)$ for $\mu,\kappa$ uncountable. Among others, we show that: (1) The property $\mathfrak{sp}{\mathfrak i}(\mu,\kappa)\neq\emptyset$ cannot be decided on the basis of ZFC plus large cardinals. (2) Relative to a measurable, it is consistent that: (a) $(\exists \kappa{>}\omega) \, \mathfrak{i}{\kappa}(\kappa)<2^\kappa$; (b) $(\exists \kappa{>}\omega)\,\kappa^+<\mathfrak{i}{\omega_1}(\kappa)<2^\kappa$. To the best knowledge of the authors, this is the first example of a $(\mu,\kappa)$-maximal independent family of size strictly between $\kappa^+$ and $2^\kappa$, for uncountable $\kappa$. (3) $\mathfrak{sp}_{\mathfrak i}(\mu,\kappa)$ cannot be quite arbitrary.