Groupoids, imaginaries and internal covers

Abstract

Let $T$ be a first-order theory. A correspondence is established between internal covers of models of $T$ and definable groupoids within $T$. We also consider amalgamations of independent diagrams of algebraically closed substructures, and find strong relation between: covers, uniqueness for 3-amalgamation, existence of 4-amalgamation, imaginaries of $T^\si$, and definable groupoids. As a corollary, we describe the imaginary elements of families of finite-dimensional vector spaces over pseudo-finite fields.