Chains of End Elementary Extensions of Models of Set Theory

Large cardinals arising from the existence of arbitrarily long end elementary extension chains over models of set theory are studied here. In particular, we show that the large cardinals obtained that way (`Unfoldable cardinals') behave as a `boundary' between properties consistent with `V=L' and existence of indiscernibles. We also provide an `embedding characterisation' of the unfoldable cardinals and study their preservation and destruction by various different forcings.