Models of Set Theory in which Nonconstructible Reals First Appear at a Given Projective Level

Models of set theory are defined, in which nonconstructible reals first appear on a given level of the projective hierarchy. Our main results are as follows. Suppose that n ≥ 2 . Then: 1. If it holds in the constructible universe L that a ⊆ ω and a ∉ Σ n 1 ∪ Π n 1 , then there is a generic extension of L in which a ∈ Δ n + 1 1 but still a ∉ Σ n 1 ∪ Π n 1 , and moreover, any set x ⊆ ω , x ∈ Σ n 1 , is constructible and Σ n 1 in L . 2. There exists a generic extension L in which it is true that there is a nonconstructible Δ n + 1 1 set a ⊆ ω , but all Σ n 1 sets x ⊆ ω are constructible and even Σ n 1 in L , and in addition, V = L [ a ] in the extension. 3. There exists an generic extension of L in which there is a nonconstructible Σ n + 1 1 set a ⊆ ω , but all Δ n + 1 1 sets x ⊆ ω are constructible and Δ n + 1 1 in L . Thus, nonconstructible reals (here subsets of ω ) can first appear at a given lightface projective class strictly higher than Σ 2 1 , in an appropriate generic extension of L . The lower limit Σ 2 1 is motivated by the Shoenfield absoluteness theorem, which implies that all Σ 2 1 sets a ⊆ ω are constructible. Our methods are based on almost-disjoint forcing. We add a sufficient number of generic reals to L , which are very similar at a given projective level n but discernible at the next level n + 1 .