Some Logical Characterizations of the Dot-Depth Hierarchy and Applications

A logical characterization of natural subhierarchies of the dot-depth hierarchy refining a theorem of Thomas and a congruence characterization related to a version of the Ehrenfeucht—Fraïssé game generalizing a theorem of Simon are given. For a sequence ¯ = (ml , …, mk) of positive integers, subclasses (m1, ...,mk) of languages of level k are defined. (ml, …, mk) are shown to be decidable. Some properties of the characterizing congruences are studied, among them, a condition which insures (m1, mk) to be included in ( , …, ). A conjecture of Pin concerning tree hierarchies of monoids (the dot-depth being a particular case) is shown to be false

Games, equations and dot-depth two monoids

Given any finite alphabet A and positive integers m1, …, mk, congruences on A*, denoted by ~(m1, …, mk) and related to a version of the Ehrenfeucht-Fraisse game, are defined. Level k of the Straubing hierarchy of aperiodic monoids can be characterized in terms of the monoids A*/~(m1, … mk). A natural subhierarchy of level 2 and equation systems satisfied in the corresponding varieties of monoids are defined. For A = 2, a necessary and sufficient condition is given for A*/~(m1, … , mk) to be of dot-depth exactly 2. Upper and lower bounds on the dot-depth of the A*/~(m1, … mk) are discussed

On a complete set of generators for dot-depth two

AbstractA complete set of generators for Straubing's dot-depth-two monoids has been characterized as a set of quotients of the form A∗/∼(n,m), where n and m denote positive integers, A∗ denotes the free monoid generated by a finite alphabet A, and ∼(n,m) denote congruences related to a version of the Ehrenfeucht—Fraïssé game. This paper studies combinatorial properties of the ∼(n,m)'s and in particular the inclusion relations between them. Several decidability and inclusion consequences are discussed

Trees, Congruences and Varieties of Finite Semigroups

A classification scheme for regular languages or finite semigroups was proposed by Pin through tree hierarchies, a scheme related to the concatenation product, an operation on languages, and to the Schützenberger product, an operation on semigroups. Starting with a variety of finite semigroups (or pseudovariety of semigroups) V, a pseudovariety of semigroups &#x25CAu(V) is associated to each tree u. In this paper, starting with the congruence &#x03B3A generating a locally finite pseudovariety of semigroups V for the finite alphabet A, we construct a congruence &#x2261u (&#x03B3A) in such a way to generate &#x25CAu(V) for A. We give partial results on the problem of comparing the congruences &#x2261u (&#x03B3A) or the pseudovarieties &#x25CAu(V). We also propose case studies of associating trees to semidirect or two-sided semidirect products of locally finite pseudovarieties

On dot-depth two

Etant donnés des entiers positifs m1, …, mk, on définit des congruences ~(m1, …, mk) en relation avec une version du jeu de Ehrenfeucht-Fraissé, et qui correspondent au niveau k de la hiérarchie de concaténation de Straubing. Etant donné un alphabet fini A, une condition nécessaire et suffisante est donnée pour que les monoïdes définis par ces congruences soient de dot-delpth exactement

On a Product of Finite Monoids

In this paper, for each positive integer m, we associate with a finite monoid S0 and m finite commutative monoids S1,…, Sm, a product &#x25CAm(Sm,…, S1, S0). We give a representation of the free objects in the pseudovariety &#x25CAm(Wm,…, W1, W0) generated by these (m + 1)-ary products where Si &#x2208 Wi for all 0 &#x2264 i &#x2264 m. We then give, in particular, a criterion to determine when an identity holds in &#x25CAm(J1,…, J1, J1) with the help of a version of the Ehrenfeucht-Fraïssé game (J1 denotes the pseudovariety of all semilattice monoids). The union &#x222Am>0&#x25CAm (J1,…, J1, J1) turns out to be the second level of the Straubing’s dot-depth hierarchy of aperiodic monoids

Trees, congruences and varieties of finite semigroups

AbstractA classification scheme for regular languages or finite semigroups was proposed by Pin through tree hierarchies, a scheme related to the concatenation product, an operation on languages, and to the Schützenberger product, an operation on semigroups. Starting with a variety of finite semigroups (or pseudovariety of semigroups) V, a pseudovariety of semigroups ♦u(V) is associated to each tree u. In this paper, starting with the congruence γA generating a locally finite pseudovariety of semigroups V for the finite alphabet A, we construct a congruence u (γA) in such a way to generate ♦u(V) for A. We give partial results on the problem of comparing the congruences u (γA) or the pseudovarieties ♦u(V). We also propose case studies of associating trees to semidirect or two-sided semidirect products of locally finite pseudovarieties

Logic on words

First published in the Bulletin of the European Association of Theoretical Computer Science 54 (1994), 145-165.This dialog between Quisani, Yuri Gurevich's imaginary student, and the author, was published in the "Logic in Computer Science Column" of the EATCS Bulletin. It is first addressed to logicians. This dialog is an occasion to present the connections between Büchi's sequential calculus and the theory of finite automata. In particular, the essential role of first order formulæ is emphasized. The quantifier hierarchies on these formulæ are an occasion to present open problems