The modal mu-calculus alternation hierarchy is strict

AbstractOne of the open questions about the modal mu-calculus is whether the alternation hierarchy collapses; that is, whether all modal fixpoint properties can be expressed with only a few alternations of least and greatest fixpoints. In this paper, we resolve this question by showing that the hierarchy does not collapse

On P-transitive graphs and applications

We introduce a new class of graphs which we call P-transitive graphs, lying between transitive and 3-transitive graphs. First we show that the analogue of de Jongh-Sambin Theorem is false for wellfounded P-transitive graphs; then we show that the mu-calculus fixpoint hierarchy is infinite for P-transitive graphs. Both results contrast with the case of transitive graphs. We give also an undecidability result for an enriched mu-calculus on P-transitive graphs. Finally, we consider a polynomial time reduction from the model checking problem on arbitrary graphs to the model checking problem on P-transitive graphs. All these results carry over to 3-transitive graphs.Comment: In Proceedings GandALF 2011, arXiv:1106.081

The Modal μ-Calculus Hierarchy on Restricted Classes of Transition Systems

We discuss the strictness of the modal µ-calculus hierarchy over some restricted classes of transition systems. First, we show that the hierarchy is strict over reflexive frames. By proving the finite model theorem for reflexive systems the same results holds for finite models. Second, we prove that over transitive systems the hierarchy collapses to the alternation-free fragment. In order to do this the finite model theorem for transitive transition systems is also proved. Further, we verify that if symmetry is added to transitivity the hierarchy collapses to the purely modal fragment

On closure ordinals for the modal mu-calculus

The closure ordinal of a formula of modal mu-calculus mu X phi is the least ordinal kappa, if it exists, such that the denotation of the formula and the kappa-th iteration of the monotone operator induced by phi coincide across all transition systems (finite and infinite). It is known that for every alpha < omega^2 there is a formula phi of modal logic such that mu X phi has closure ordinal alpha (Czarnecki 2010). We prove that the closure ordinals arising from the alternation-free fragment of modal mu-calculus (the syntactic class capturing Sigma_2 cap Pi_2) are bounded by omega^2. In this logic satisfaction can be characterised in terms of the existence of tableaux, trees generated by systematically breaking down formulae into their constituents according to the semantics of the calculus. To obtain optimal upper bounds we utilise the connection between closure ordinals of formulae and embedded order-types of the corresponding tableaux

Game semantics for the constructive μ\mu-calculus

We define game semantics for the constructive $\mu$-calculus and prove its correctness. We use these game semantics to prove that the $\mu$-calculus collapses to modal logic over $\mathsf{CS5}$ frames. Finally, we prove the completeness of $\mathsf{\mu CS5}$ over $\mathsf{CS5}$ frames