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Marcello Mamino

Publications and source records attributed to Marcello Mamino.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2026

Ramsey's witnesses

We introduce the notion of Ramsey partition regularity, a generalisation of partition regularity involving infinitary configurations. We provide characterisations of this notion in terms of certain ultrafilters related to tensor products and dubbed Ramsey's witnesses; and we also consider their nonstandard counterparts as pairs of hypernatural numbers, called Ramsey pairs. These characterisations are then used to determine whether various configurations involving polynomials and exponentials are Ramsey partition regular over the natural numbers. In particular, this provides negative answers to several questions recently posed by Kra, Moreira, Richter and Robertson.

math.LO↗
arXiv2025

Extending orders to types

Given an ordered structure, we study a natural way to extend the order to preorders on type spaces. For definably complete, linearly ordered structures, we give a characterisation of the preorder on the space of 1-types. We apply these results to the divisibility preorder on the space of ultrafilters on the set of natural numbers, giving an independence result about the suborder consisting of ultrafilters with only one fixed prime divisor, as well as a classification of ultrafilters with finitely many prime divisors.

math.LO↗
arXiv2023

Vector spaces with a union of independent subspaces

Motivated by the theory of locally definable groups, we study the theory of $K$-vector spaces with a predicate for the union $X$ of an infinite family of independent subspaces. We show that if $K$ is infinite then the theory is complete and admits quantifier elimination in the language of $K$-vector spaces with predicates for the $n$-fold sums of $X$ with itself. If $K$ is finite this is no longer true, but we still have that a natural completion is near-model-complete.

math.LO↗
arXiv2022

Orthogonal decomposition of definable groups

Orthogonality in model theory captures the idea of absence of non-trivial interactions between definable sets. We introduce a somewhat opposite notion of cohesiveness, capturing the idea of interaction among all parts of a given definable set. A cohesive set is indecomposable, in the sense that if it is internal to the product of two orthogonal sets, then it is internal to one of the two. We prove that a definable group in an o-minimal structure is a product of cohesive orthogonal subsets. If the group has dimension one, or it is definably simple, then it is itself cohesive. Finally, we show that an abelian group definable in the disjoint union of finitely many o-minimal structures is a quotient, by a discrete normal subgroup, of a direct product of locally definable groups in the single structures.

math.LO↗
arXiv2022

Provability Logic: models within models in Peano Arithmetic

In 1994 Jech gave a model theoretic proof of Gödel's second incompleteness theorem for Zermelo-Fraenkel set theory in the following form: ZF does not prove that ZF has a model. Kotlarski showed that Jech's proof can be adapted to Peano Arithmetic with the role of models being taken by complete consistent extensions. In this note we take another step in the direction of replacing proof-theoretic by model-theoretic arguments. We show, without passing through the arithmetized completeness theorem, that the existence of a model of PA of complexity $Σ^0_2$ is independent of PA, where a model is identified with the set of formulas with parameters which hold in the model. Our approach is based on a new interpretation of the provability logic of Peano Arithmetic with the modal operator interpreted as truth in every $Σ^0_2$-model.

math.LO↗
arXiv2021

One Lie group to define them all

We produce a connected real Lie group that, as a first order structure in the group language, interprets the real field expanded with a predicate for the integers. Moreover, the domain of our interpretation is definable in the group.

math.LO↗
arXiv2020

Asymptotic analysis of Skolem's exponential functions

Skolem (1956) studied the germs at infinity of the smallest class of real valued functions on the positive real line containing the constant $1$, the identity function $x$, and such that whenever $f$ and $g$ are in the set, $f+g,fg$ and $f^g$ are in the set. This set of germs is well ordered and Skolem conjectured that its order type is epsilon-zero. Van den Dries and Levitz (1984) computed the order type of the fragment below $2^{2^x}$. Here we prove that the set of asymptotic classes within any archimedean class of Skolem functions has order type $ω$. As a consequence we obtain, for each positive integer $n$, an upper bound for the fragment below $2^{n^x}$. We deduce an epsilon-zero upper bound for the fragment below $2^{x^x}$, improving the previous epsilon-omega bound by Levitz (1978). A novel feature of our approach is the use of Conway's surreal number for asymptotic calculations.

math.LO↗
arXiv2020

Piecewise Linear Valued Constraint Satisfaction Problems with Fixed Number of Variables

Many combinatorial optimisation problems can be modelled as valued constraint satisfaction problems. In this paper, we present a polynomial-time algorithm solving the valued constraint satisfaction problem for a fixed number of variables and for piecewise linear cost functions. Our algorithm finds the infimum of a piecewise linear function and decides whether it is a proper minimum.

math.OC↗
arXiv2019

Piecewise Linear Valued CSPs Solvable by Linear Programming Relaxation

Valued constraint satisfaction problems (VCSPs) are a large class of combinatorial optimisation problems. The computational complexity of VCSPs depends on the set of allowed cost functions in the input. Recently, the computational complexity of all VCSPs for finite sets of cost functions over finite domains has been classified. Many natural optimisation problems, however, cannot be formulated as VCSPs over a finite domain. We initiate the systematic investigation of infinite-domain VCSPs by studying the complexity of VCSPs for piecewise linear homogeneous cost functions. Such VCSPs can be solved in polynomial time if the cost functions are improved by fully symmetric fractional operations of all arities. We show this by reducing the problem to a finite-domain VCSP which can be solved using the basic linear program relaxation. It follows that VCSPs for submodular PLH cost functions can be solved in polynomial time; in fact, we show that submodular PLH functions form a maximally tractable class of PLH cost functions.

cs.LO↗
arXiv2019

Fundamental group in o-minimal structures with definable Skolem functions

In this paper we work in an arbitrary o-minimal structure with definable Skolem functions and we prove that definably connected, locally definable manifolds are uniformly definably path connected, have an admissible cover by definably simply connected, open definable subsets and, definable paths and definable homotopies on such locally definable manifolds can be lifted to locally definable covering maps. These properties allows us to obtain the main properties of the general o-minimal fundamental group, including: invariance and comparison results; existence of universal locally definable covering maps; monodromy equivalence for locally constant o-minimal sheaves - from which one obtains, as in algebraic topology, classification results for locally definable covering maps, o-minimal Hurewicz and Seifert - van Kampen theorems.

math.LO↗
arXiv2018

A polynomial-time algorithm for median-closed semilinear constraints

A subset of Q^n is called semilinear (or piecewise linear) if it is Boolean combination of linear half-spaces. We study the computational complexity of the constraint satisfaction problem (CSP) over the rationals when all the constraints are semilinear. When the sets are convex the CSP is polynomial-time equivalent to linear programming. A semilinear relation is convex if and only if it is preserved by taking averages. Our main result is a polynomial-time algorithm for the CSP of semilinear constraints that are preserved by applying medians. We also prove that this class is maximally tractable in the sense that any larger class of semilinear relations has an NP-hard CSP. To illustrate, our class contains all relations that can be expressed by linear inequalities with at most two variables (so-called TVPI constraints), but it also contains many non-convex relations, for example constraints of the form x in S for arbitrary finite subset S of Q, or more generally disjunctive constraints of the form x < c or y < d for constants c and d.

cs.CC↗
arXiv2018

On the o-minimal Hilbert's fifth problem

Let ${\mathbb M}$ be an arbitrary o-minimal structure. Let $G$ be a definably compact definably connected abelian definable group of dimension $n$. Here we compute the new the intrinsic o-minimal fundamental group of $G;$ for each $k>0$, the $k$-torsion subgroups of $G;$ the o-minimal cohomology algebra over ${\mathbb Q}$ of $G.$ As a corollary we obtain a new uniform proof of Pillay's conjecture, an o-minimal analogue of Hilbert's fifth problem, relating definably compact groups to compact real Lie groups, extending the proof already known in o-minimal expansions of ordered fields.

math.LO↗
arXiv2018

Submodular Functions and Valued Constraint Satisfaction Problems over Infinite Domains

Valued constraint satisfaction problems (VCSPs) are a large class of combinatorial optimisation problems. It is desirable to classify the computational complexity of VCSPs depending on a fixed set of allowed cost functions in the input. Recently, the computational complexity of all VCSPs for finite sets of cost functions over finite domains has been classified in this sense. Many natural optimisation problems, however, cannot be formulated as VCSPs over a finite domain. We initiate the systematic investigation of infinite-domain VCSPs by studying the complexity of VCSPs for piecewise linear homogeneous cost functions. We show that such VCSPs can be solved in polynomial time when the cost functions are additionally submodular, and that this is indeed a maximally tractable class: adding any cost function that is not submodular leads to an NP-hard VCSP.

math.LO↗
arXiv2017

Tropically convex constraint satisfaction

A semilinear relation S is max-closed if it is preserved by taking the componentwise maximum. The constraint satisfaction problem for max-closed semilinear constraints is at least as hard as determining the winner in Mean Payoff Games, a notorious problem of open computational complexity. Mean Payoff Games are known to be in the intersection of NP and co-NP, which is not known for max-closed semilinear constraints. Semilinear relations that are max-closed and additionally closed under translations have been called tropically convex in the literature. One of our main results is a new duality for open tropically convex relations, which puts the CSP for tropically convex semilinaer constraints in general into NP intersected co-NP. This extends the corresponding complexity result for scheduling under and-or precedence constraints, or equivalently the max-atoms problem. To this end, we present a characterization of max-closed semilinear relations in terms of syntactically restricted first-order logic, and another characterization in terms of a finite set of relations L that allow primitive positive definitions of all other relations in the class. We also present a subclass of max-closed constraints where the CSP is in P; this class generalizes the class of max-closed constraints over finite domains, and the feasibility problem for max-closed linear inequalities. Finally, we show that the class of max-closed semilinear constraints is maximal in the sense that as soon as a single relation that is not max-closed is added to L, the CSP becomes NP-hard.

cs.CC↗
arXiv2016

Square Formation by Asynchronous Oblivious Robots

A fundamental problem in Distributed Computing is the Pattern Formation problem, where some independent mobile entities, called robots, have to rearrange themselves in such a way as to form a given figure from every possible (non-degenerate) initial configuration. In the present paper, we consider robots that operate in the Euclidean plane and are dimensionless, anonymous, oblivious, silent, asynchronous, disoriented, non-chiral, and non-rigid. For this very elementary type of robots, the feasibility of the Pattern Formation problem has been settled, either in the positive or in the negative, for every possible pattern, except for one case: the Square Formation problem by a team of four robots. Here we solve this last case by giving a Square Formation algorithm and proving its correctness. Our contribution represents the concluding chapter in a long thread of research. Our results imply that in the context of the Pattern Formation problem for mobile robots, features such as synchronicity, chirality, and rigidity are computationally irrelevant.

cs.DC↗
arXiv2015

On definably proper maps

In this paper we work in o-minimal structures with definable Skolem functions and show that a continuous definable map between Hausdorff locally definably compact definable spaces is definably proper if and only if it is proper morphism in the category of definable spaces. We give several other characterizations of definably proper including one involving the existence of limits of definable types. We also prove the basic properties of definably proper maps and the invariance of definably proper in elementary extensions and o-minimal expansions.

math.LO↗
arXiv2015

Strategy Recovery for Stochastic Mean Payoff Games

We prove that to find optimal positional strategies for stochastic mean payoff games when the value of every state of the game is known, in general, is as hard as solving such games tout court. This answers a question posed by Daniel Andersson and Peter Bro Miltersen.

cs.GT↗