10,936 research outputs found
Real-time and Probabilistic Temporal Logics: An Overview
Over the last two decades, there has been an extensive study on logical
formalisms for specifying and verifying real-time systems. Temporal logics have
been an important research subject within this direction. Although numerous
logics have been introduced for the formal specification of real-time and
complex systems, an up to date comprehensive analysis of these logics does not
exist in the literature. In this paper we analyse real-time and probabilistic
temporal logics which have been widely used in this field. We extrapolate the
notions of decidability, axiomatizability, expressiveness, model checking, etc.
for each logic analysed. We also provide a comparison of features of the
temporal logics discussed
Everettian quantum mechanics without branching time
In this paper I assess the prospects for combining contemporary Everettian quantum mechanics (EQM) with branching-time semantics in the tradition of Kripke, Prior, Thomason and Belnap. I begin by outlining the salient features of ‘decoherence-based’ EQM, and of the ’consistent histories’ formalism that is particularly apt for conceptual discussions in EQM. This formalism permits of both ‘branching worlds’and ‘parallel worlds’ interpretations; the metaphysics of EQM is in this sense underdetermined by the physics. A prominent argument due to David Lewis [1986] supports the non-branching interpretation. Belnap et al. [2001] refer to Lewis’ argument as the ’Assertion problem’, and propose a pragmatic response to it. I argue that their response is unattractively ad hoc and complex, and that it prevents an Everettian who adopts branching-time semantics from making clear sense of objective probability. The upshot is that Everettians are better off without branching-time semantics. I conclude by discussing and rejecting an alternative possible motivation for branching time
Linear Time Logics - A Coalgebraic Perspective
We describe a general approach to deriving linear time logics for a wide
variety of state-based, quantitative systems, by modelling the latter as
coalgebras whose type incorporates both branching behaviour and linear
behaviour. Concretely, we define logics whose syntax is determined by the
choice of linear behaviour and whose domain of truth values is determined by
the choice of branching, and we provide two equivalent semantics for them: a
step-wise semantics amenable to automata-based verification, and a path-based
semantics akin to those of standard linear time logics. We also provide a
semantic characterisation of the associated notion of logical equivalence, and
relate it to previously-defined maximal trace semantics for such systems.
Instances of our logics support reasoning about the possibility, likelihood or
minimal cost of exhibiting a given linear time property. We conclude with a
generalisation of the logics, dual in spirit to logics with discounting, which
increases their practical appeal in the context of resource-aware computation
by incorporating a notion of offsetting.Comment: Major revision of previous version: Sections 4 and 5 generalise the
results in the previous version, with new proofs; Section 6 contains new
result
Verification of Linear Optical Quantum Computing using Quantum Process Calculus
We explain the use of quantum process calculus to describe and analyse linear
optical quantum computing (LOQC). The main idea is to define two processes, one
modelling a linear optical system and the other expressing a specification, and
prove that they are behaviourally equivalent. We extend the theory of
behavioural equivalence in the process calculus Communicating Quantum Processes
(CQP) to include multiple particles (namely photons) as information carriers,
described by Fock states or number states. We summarise the theory in this
paper, including the crucial result that equivalence is a congruence, meaning
that it is preserved by embedding in any context. In previous work, we have
used quantum process calculus to model LOQC but without verifying models
against specifications. In this paper, for the first time, we are able to carry
out verification. We illustrate this approach by describing and verifying two
models of an LOQC CNOT gate.Comment: In Proceedings EXPRESS/SOS 2014, arXiv:1408.127
Petri nets for systems and synthetic biology
We give a description of a Petri net-based framework for
modelling and analysing biochemical pathways, which uni¯es the qualita-
tive, stochastic and continuous paradigms. Each perspective adds its con-
tribution to the understanding of the system, thus the three approaches
do not compete, but complement each other. We illustrate our approach
by applying it to an extended model of the three stage cascade, which
forms the core of the ERK signal transduction pathway. Consequently
our focus is on transient behaviour analysis. We demonstrate how quali-
tative descriptions are abstractions over stochastic or continuous descrip-
tions, and show that the stochastic and continuous models approximate
each other. Although our framework is based on Petri nets, it can be
applied more widely to other formalisms which are used to model and
analyse biochemical networks
Model checking Quantitative Linear Time Logic
This paper considers QLtl, a quantitative analagon of Ltl and presents algorithms for model checking QLtl over quantitative versions of Kripke structures and Markov chains
Generic Trace Semantics via Coinduction
Trace semantics has been defined for various kinds of state-based systems,
notably with different forms of branching such as non-determinism vs.
probability. In this paper we claim to identify one underlying mathematical
structure behind these "trace semantics," namely coinduction in a Kleisli
category. This claim is based on our technical result that, under a suitably
order-enriched setting, a final coalgebra in a Kleisli category is given by an
initial algebra in the category Sets. Formerly the theory of coalgebras has
been employed mostly in Sets where coinduction yields a finer process semantics
of bisimilarity. Therefore this paper extends the application field of
coalgebras, providing a new instance of the principle "process semantics via
coinduction."Comment: To appear in Logical Methods in Computer Science. 36 page
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