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Marcel Jackson

Publications and source records attributed to Marcel Jackson.

32 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
arXiv2018

Monoid varieties with extreme properties

Finite monoids that generate monoid varieties with uncountably many subvarieties seem rare, and surprisingly, no finite monoid is known to generate a monoid variety with countably infinitely many subvarieties. In the present article, it is shown that there are, nevertheless, many finite monoids that generate monoid varieties with continuum many subvarieties; these include any finite inherently non-finitely based monoid and any monoid for which $xyxy$ is an isoterm. It follows that the join of two Cross monoid varieties can have a continuum cardinality subvariety lattice that violates the ascending chain condition. Regarding monoid varieties with countably infinitely many subvarieties, the first example of a finite monoid that generates such a variety is exhibited. A complete description of the subvariety lattice of this variety is given. This lattice has width three and contains only finitely based varieties, all except two of which are Cross.

math.GR↗
arXiv2017

Algebraic foundations for qualitative calculi and networks

A qualitative representation $ϕ$ is like an ordinary representation of a relation algebra, but instead of requiring $(a; b)^ϕ= a^ϕ| b^ϕ$, as we do for ordinary representations, we only require that $c^ϕ\supseteq a^ϕ| b^ϕ\iff c\geq a ; b$, for each $c$ in the algebra. A constraint network is qualitatively satisfiable if its nodes can be mapped to elements of a qualitative representation, preserving the constraints. If a constraint network is satisfiable then it is clearly qualitatively satisfiable, but the converse can fail. However, for a wide range of relation algebras including the point algebra, the Allen Interval Algebra, RCC8 and many others, a network is satisfiable if and only if it is qualitatively satisfiable. Unlike ordinary composition, the weak composition arising from qualitative representations need not be associative, so we can generalise by considering network satisfaction problems over non-associative algebras. We prove that computationally, qualitative representations have many advantages over ordinary representations: whereas many finite relation algebras have only infinite representations, every finite qualitatively representable algebra has a finite qualitative representation; the representability problem for (the atom structures of) finite non-associative algebras is NP-complete; the network satisfaction problem over a finite qualitatively representable algebra is always in NP; the validity of equations over qualitative representations is co-NP-complete. On the other hand we prove that there is no finite axiomatisation of the class of qualitatively representable algebras.

cs.AI↗
arXiv2017

All or nothing: toward a promise problem dichotomy for constraint problems

A finite constraint language $\mathscr{R}$ is a finite set of relations over some finite domain $A$. We show that intractability of the constraint satisfaction problem $\operatorname{CSP}(\mathscr{R})$ can, in all known cases, be replaced by an infinite hierarchy of intractable promise problems of increasingly disparate promise conditions: where instances are guaranteed to either have no solutions at all, or to be $k$-robustly satisfiable (for any fixed $k$), meaning that every "reasonable" partial instantiation on~$k$ variables extends to a solution. For example, subject to the assumption $\texttt{P}\neq \texttt{NP}$, then for any~$k$, we show that there is no polynomial time algorithm that can distinguish non-$3$-colourable graphs, from those for which any reasonable $3$-colouring of any $k$ of the vertices can extend to a full $3$-colouring. Our main result shows that an analogous statement holds for all known intractable constraint problems over fixed finite constraint languages.

cs.CC↗
arXiv2016

Complexity and polymorphisms for digraph constraint problems under some basic constructions

The role of polymorphisms in determining the complexity of constraint satisfaction problems is well established. In this context we study the stability of CSP complexity and polymorphism properties under some basic graph theoretic constructions. As applications we observe a collapse in the applicability of algorithms for CSPs over directed graphs with both a total source and a total sink: the corresponding CSP is solvable by the "few subpowers algorithm" if and only if it is solvable by a local consistency check algorithm. Moreover, we find that the property of "strict width" and solvability by few subpowers are unstable under first order reductions. The analysis also yields a complete characterisation of the main polymorphism properties for digraphs whose symmetric closure is a complete graph.

math.CO↗
arXiv2015

A finer reduction of constraint problems to digraphs

It is well known that the constraint satisfaction problem over a general relational structure A is polynomial time equivalent to the constraint problem over some associated digraph. We present a variant of this construction and show that the corresponding constraint satisfaction problem is logspace equivalent to that over A. Moreover, we show that almost all of the commonly encountered polymorphism properties are held equivalently on the A and the constructed digraph. As a consequence, the Algebraic CSP dichotomy conjecture as well as the conjectures characterizing CSPs solvable in logspace and in nondeterministic logspace are equivalent to their restriction to digraphs.

cs.CC↗
arXiv2014

The algebra of functions with antidomain and range

We give complete, finite quasiequational axiomatisations for algebras of unary partial functions under the operations of composition, domain, antidomain, range and intersection. This completes the extensive programme of classifying algebras of unary partial functions under combinations of these operations. We look at the complexity of the equational theories and provide a nondeterministic polynomial upper bound. Finally we look at the problem of finite representability and show that finite algebras can be represented as a collection of unary functions over a finite base set provided that intersection is not in the signature.

math.LO↗
arXiv2014

Monoids with tests and the algebra of possibly non-halting programs

We study the algebraic theory of computable functions, which can be viewed as arising from possibly non-halting computer programs or algorithms, acting on some state space, equipped with operations of composition, {\em if-then-else} and {\em while-do} defined in terms of a Boolean algebra of conditions. It has previously been shown that there is no finite axiomatisation of algebras of partial functions under these operations alone, and this holds even if one restricts attention to transformations (representing halting programs) rather than partial functions, and omits {\em while-do} from the signature. In the halting case, there is a natural "fix", which is to allow composition of halting programs with conditions, and then the resulting algebras admit a finite axiomatisation. In the current setting such compositions are not possible, but by extending the notion of {\em if-then-else}, we are able to give finite axiomatisations of the resulting algebras of (partial) functions, with {\em while-do} in the signature if the state space is assumed finite. The axiomatisations are extended to consider the partial predicate of equality. All algebras considered turn out to be enrichments of the notion of a (one-sided) restriction semigroup.

math.LO↗
arXiv2014

Natural dualities, nilpotence and projective planes

We use an interpretation of projective planes to show the inherent nondualisability of some finite semigroups. The method is sufficiently flexible to demonstrate the nondualisability of (asymptotically) almost all finite semigroups as well as to give a fresh proof of the Quackenbush-Szabó result that any finite group with a nonabelian Sylow subgroup is nondualisable. A novel feature is that the ostensibly different notions of nilpotence for semigroups, nilpotence for groups, and the property of being nonorthodox for a completely 0-simple semigroup are unified by way of a single construction. We also give a semigroup example of two dualisable finite semigroups whose direct product is inherently nondualisable.

math.GR↗
arXiv2013

On the reduction of the CSP dichotomy conjecture to digraphs

It is well known that the constraint satisfaction problem over general relational structures can be reduced in polynomial time to digraphs. We present a simple variant of such a reduction and use it to show that the algebraic dichotomy conjecture is equivalent to its restriction to digraphs and that the polynomial reduction can be made in logspace. We also show that our reduction preserves the bounded width property, i.e., solvability by local consistency methods. We discuss further algorithmic properties that are preserved and related open problems.

cs.CC↗
arXiv2011

Well structured program equivalence is highly undecidable

We show that strict deterministic propositional dynamic logic with intersection is highly undecidable, solving a problem in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. In fact we show something quite a bit stronger. We introduce the construction of program equivalence, which returns the value $\mathsf{T}$ precisely when two given programs are equivalent on halting computations. We show that virtually any variant of propositional dynamic logic has $Π_1^1$-hard validity problem if it can express even just the equivalence of well-structured programs with the empty program \texttt{skip}. We also show, in these cases, that the set of propositional statements valid over finite models is not recursively enumerable, so there is not even an axiomatisation for finitely valid propositions.

cs.LO↗
arXiv2009

The algebra of adjacency patterns: Rees matrix semigroups with reversion

We establish a surprisingly close relationship between universal Horn classes of directed graphs and varieties generated by so-called adjacency semigroups which are Rees matrix semigroups over the trivial group with the unary operation of reversion. In particular, the lattice of subvarieties of the variety generated by adjacency semigroups that are regular unary semigroups is essentially the same as the lattice of universal Horn classes of reflexive directed graphs. A number of examples follow, including a limit variety of regular unary semigroups and finite unary semigroups with NP-hard variety membership problems.

math.LO↗