Linear and Branching System Metrics

We extend the classical system relations of trace\ud inclusion, trace equivalence, simulation, and bisimulation to a quantitative setting in which propositions are interpreted not as boolean values, but as elements of arbitrary metric spaces.\ud \ud Trace inclusion and equivalence give rise to asymmetrical and symmetrical linear distances, while simulation and bisimulation give rise to asymmetrical and symmetrical branching distances. We study the relationships among these distances, and we provide a full logical characterization of the distances in terms of quantitative versions of LTL and μ-calculus. We show that, while trace inclusion (resp. equivalence) coincides with simulation (resp. bisimulation) for deterministic boolean transition systems, linear\ud and branching distances do not coincide for deterministic metric transition systems. Finally, we provide algorithms for computing the distances over finite systems, together with a matching lower complexity bound

On the undefinability of Tsirelson's space and its descendants

We prove that Tsirelson's space cannot be defined explicitly from the classical Banach sequence spaces. We also prove that any Banach space that is explicitly definable from a class of spaces that contain $\ell_p$ or $c_0$ must contain $\ell_p$ or $c_0$ as well