In this paper, we study partition properties of the set of real numbers. The meaning of “set of real numbers” will vary, referring at times to the collection of sequences of natural numbers, ωω; the collection of infinite sets of natural numbers [ω]ω; the collection of infinite sequences of zeroes and ones, 2ω; or (ω), the power set of ω. The archetype for the relations is the property: “all sets of reals are Ramsey,” in the notation of Erdős and Hajnal, ω → (ω)ω. This states that for every partition F : [ω]ω → 2, there is an infinite set H ∈ [ω]ω such that F is constant on [H]ω. Like virtually all of the properties we will discuss, it contradicts the Axiom of Choice but is compatible with the principle of dependent choices (DC). DC will be used throughout the paper wihtout further mention. The properties discussed in this paper will vary in two respects. Some, like ω → (ω)ω, will be incompatible with the existence of an ultrafilter on ω (UF) and some will not. Some are known to be consistent relative to ZF alone, and for some, such as ω → (ω)ω, the question is still open. All properties, however, are true in Solovay's model and hence are consistent relative to Con(ZF + “there exists an inaccessible cardinal”).

We will consider some partition properties of the following type: given a function F: ωω →2, is there a sequence H0, H1, … of subsets of ω such that F is constant on ΠiεωHi? The answer is obviously positive if we allow all the Hi's to have exactly one element, but the problem is nontrivial if we require the Hi's to have at least two elements. The axiom of choice contradicts the statement “for all F: ωω→ 2 there is a sequence H0, H1, H2,… of subsets of ω such that {i|(Hi) ≥ 2} is infinite and F is constant on ΠHi”, but the infinite exponent partition relation ω(ω)ω implies it; so, this statement is relatively consistent with an inaccessible cardinal. (See [1] where these partition properties were considered.) We will also consider partitions into any finite number of pieces, and we will prove some facts about partitions into ω-many pieces. Given a partition F: ωω → k, we say that H0, H1…, a sequence of subsets of ω, is homogeneous for F if F is constant on ΠHi. We say the sequence H0, H1,… is nonoverlapping if, for all i ∈ ω, ∪Hi > ∩Hi+1. The sequence 〈Hi: i ∈ ω〉 is of type 〈α0, α1,…〉 if, for every i ∈ ω, ∣Hi∣ = αi. We will adopt the usual notation for polarized partition relations due to Erdös, Hajnal, and Rado. means that for every partition F: κ1 × κ2 × … × κn→δ there is a sequence H0, H1,…, Hn such that Hi ⊂ κi and ∣Hi∣ = αi for every i, 1 ≤ i ≤ n, and F is constant on H1 × H2 × … × Hn.

In recent years, the Axiom of Determinateness (AD) has yielded numerous results concerning the size and properties of the first ω-many uncountable cardinals. Briefly, these results began with Solovay's discovery that ℵ1 and ℵ2 are measurable [8], [3], continued with theorems of Solovay, Martin, and Kunen concerning infinite-exponent partition relations [6], [3], Martin's proof that ℵn has confinality ℵ2 for 1 < n < ω, and very recently, Kleinberg's proof that the ℵn are Jonsson cardinals [4]. This paper was inspired by a very recent result of Martin from AD that ℵ1 is ℵ2-super compact. It was known for some time that AD implies ℵ1 is α-strongly compact for all ℵ < θ (where θ is the least cardinal onto which 2ω cannot be mapped, quite a large cardinal under AD), and that ADR implies that ℵ1, is α-super compact for all α < θ. A key open question had been whether or not ℵ1 is super compact under AD alone. This paper comments on the method of Martin in several different ways. In §2, we will prove that ℵ1 is ℵ2-super compact, and then generalize the method to show that ℵ2 is ℵ3-strongly compact. In addition, we will demonstrate a limitation in the method by showing that the possible measures obtained on are not normal, and that the method cannot be extended to show that ℵ2 is ℵ4-strongly compact.