We give Scott sentences for certain computable groups, and we use index set calculations as a way of checking that our Scott sentences are as simple as possible. We consider finitely generated groups and torsion-free abelian groups of finite rank. For both kinds of groups, the computable ones all have computable $Sigma_3$ Scott sentences. Sometimes we can do better. In fact, the computable finitely generated groups that we have studied all have Scott sentences that are computable $d$-$Sigma_2$ (the conjunction of a computable $Sigma_2$ sentence and a computable $Pi_2$ sentence). This was already shown for the finitely generated free groups. Here we show it for all finitely generated abelian groups, and for the infinite dihedral group. Among the computable torsion-free abelian groups of finite rank, we focus on those of rank $1$. These are exactly the additive subgroups of $mathbb{Q}$. We show that for some of these groups, the computable $Sigma_3$ Scott sentence is best possible, while for others, there is a computable $d$-$Sigma_2$ Scott sentence.
The Hanf number for a set $S$ of sentences in $L_{omega_1,omega}$ (or some other logic) is the least infinite cardinal $kappa$ such that for all $varphiin S$, if $varphi$ has models in all infinite cardinalities less than $kappa$, then it has models of all infinite cardinalities. S-D. Friedman asked what is the Hanf number for Scott sentences of computable structures. We show that the value is $beth_{omega_1^{CK}}$. The same argument proves that $beth_{omega_1^{CK}}$ is the Hanf number for Scott sentences of hyperarithmetical structures.
Given a countable scattered linear order $L$ of Hausdorff rank $alpha < omega_1$ we show that it has a $dtext{-}Sigma_{2alpha+1}$ Scott sentence. Ash calculated the back and forth relations for all countable well-orders. From this result we obtain that this upper bound is tight, i.e., for every $alpha < omega_1$ there is a linear order whose optimal Scott sentence has this complexity. We further show that for all countable $alpha$ the class of Hausdorff rank $alpha$ linear orders is $pmb Sigma_{2alpha+2}$ complete.
We show that the motivic spectrum representing algebraic $K$-theory is a localization of the suspension spectrum of $mathbb{P}^infty$, and similarly that the motivic spectrum representing periodic algebraic cobordism is a localization of the suspension spectrum of $BGL$. In particular, working over $mathbb{C}$ and passing to spaces of $mathbb{C}$-valued points, we obtain new proofs of the topologic