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I have a question about the definition of $K^c$ for sequences of measures in Mitchell's "The Covering Lemma" chapter in the Handbook. I will give the definition he gives here, but for reference, this is Definition 4.1 on page 1559 of the Handbook. Please note that I have fixed two typos in clause 2.
Either the core model $K$, or the countably complete core model $K^c$, are defined as $L[\mathcal{U}]$ where the sequence $\mathcal{U}$ is defined by recursion on $\gamma$ as follows. Assume that $\mathcal{U}\upharpoonright\gamma$ has already been defined:
If there is a mouse $M=J_{\gamma'}[\mathcal{U}']$ such that $\mathcal{U}'\upharpoonright\gamma=\mathcal{U}\upharpoonright\gamma$, the projectum of $M$ is smaller than $\gamma$, and no measure in $\mathcal{U}'-\mathcal{U}$ is full in $M$, then set $\mathcal{U}\upharpoonright\gamma'=\mathcal{U}'$.
If there is no mouse as in clause 1,and if $J_\gamma[\mathcal{U}\upharpoonright\gamma]\vDash\gamma=\kappa^{++}$ for some $\kappa<\gamma$ such that there is a $J_\gamma[\mathcal{U}\upharpoonright\gamma]$-ultrafilter $U$ on $\kappa$ with $i^U(\mathcal{U}\upharpoonright\gamma)\upharpoonright\gamma+1=\mathcal{U}\upharpoonright\gamma$, then set $\mathcal{U}_\gamma=U$, provided it satisfies an iterability condition depending on which model is being constructed:
a) For the model $K^c$, the ultrafilter $U$ is added to the sequence only if $U$ is countably complete and $\mathrm{cf}(\mathrm{crit}(U))=\omega_1$.
b) For the true core model $K$, the ultrafilter $U$ is added to the sequence only if $\mathrm{Ult}(L[\mathcal{W}],U)$ is well-founded for every iterable inner model $L[\mathcal{W}]$ such that $\mathcal{W}\upharpoonright\gamma=\mathcal{U}$.
My question is in clause 2a. Why must we have $\mathrm{cf}(\mathrm{crit}(U))=\omega_1$? Certainly, you cannot have it have countable cofinality, as the mouse would not be countable certified. Why can we not have $\mathrm{cf}(\mathrm{crit}(U))\geq\omega_2$?
Zeman's book defines $K^c$ below $0^{sword}$ and below $0^¶$, and in both cases he does not have this condition.