On Extensions of Partial Isomorphisms

Abstract

In this paper we study a notion of HL-extension (HL standing for Herwig--Lascar) for a structure in a finite relational language $\mathcal{L}$. We give a description of all finite minimal HL-extensions of a given finite $\mathcal{L}$-structure. In addition, we study a group-theoretic property considered by Herwig--Lascar and show that it is closed under taking free products. We also introduce notions of coherent extensions and ultraextensive $\mathcal{L}$-structures and show that every countable $\mathcal{L}$-structure can be extended to a countable ultraextensive structure. Finally, it follows from our results that the automorphism group of any countable ultraextensive $\mathcal{L}$-structure has a dense locally finite subgroup.