Nicole Schweikardt

The monadic quantifier alternation hierarchy over grids and graphs

The monadic second-order quantifier alternation hierarchy over the class of finite graphs is shown to be strict. The proof is based on automata theoretic ideas and starts from a restricted class of graph-like structures, namely finite two-dimensional grids. Considering grids where the width is a function of the height, we prove that the difference between the levels k + 1 and k of the monadic hierarchy is witnessed by a set of grids where this function is (k + 1)-fold exponential. We then transfer the hierarchy result to the class of directed (or undirected) graphs, using an encoding technique called strong reduction. It is notable that one can obtain sets of graphs which occur arbitrarily high in the monadic hierarchy but are already definable in the first-order closure of existential monadic second-order logic. We also verify that these graph properties even belong to the complexity class NLOG. which indicates a profound difference between the monadic hierarchy and the polynomial hierarchy.

The Monadic Quantifier Alternation Hierarchy over Grids and Pictures

The subject of this paper is the expressive power of monadic second-order logic over two-dimensional grids. We give a new, self-contained game-theoretical proof of the nonexpressibility results of Matz and Thomas. As we show, this implies the strictness of the monadic second-order quantifier alternation hierarchy over grids.

An Ehrenfeucht-Fraïssé Approach to Collapse Results for First-Order Queries over Embedded Databases

We present a new proof technique for collapse results for first-order queries on databases which are embedded in N or R>o. Our proofs are by means of an explicitly constructed winning strategy for Duplicator in an Ehrenfeucht-FraissE game, and can deal with certain infinite databases where previous, highly involved methods fail. Our main result is that first-order logic has the natural-generic collapse over {N,≤ ,+} for arbitrary (i.e., possibly infinite) databases. Furthermore, a first application of this result shows the natural-generic collapse of first-order logic over {R>o,≤,+} for a certain kind of databases over R>o which consist of a possibly infinite number of regions.

The Natural Order-Generic Collapse for omega-Representable Databases over the Rational and the Real Ordered Group

We consider order-generic queries, i.e., queries which commute with every order-preserving automorphism of a structures universe. It is well-known that first-order logic has the natural order-generic collapse over the rational and the real ordered group for the class of dense order constraint databases (also known as finitely representable databases). I.e., on this class of databases over 〈Q, <〉 or 〈R, <〉, addition does not add to the expressive power of first-order logic for defining order-generic queries. In the present paper we develop a natural generalization of the notion of finitely representable databases, where an arbitrary (i.e. possibly infinite) number of regions is allowed. We call these databases ω-representable, and we prove the natural order-generic collapse over the rational and the real ordered group for this larger class of databases.