PhD Thesis



I have done a joint PhD Thesis between the Institut National Polytechnique de Lorraine (INPL), à Nancy, France, and City University of Hong Kong. My research institution in France is the Laboratoire Lorrain de Recherche en Informatique et ses Applications (LORIA), where I am part of the research teams PROTHEO and CALLIGRAMME.

Title: Completeness Results and Syntactic Characterizations of Complexity Classes over Arbitrary Structures
Defended on: Decembre 15th, 2004, in Hong Kong
Supervisors: Dr. Olivier Bournez, chargé de recherches INRIA  (LORIA)

Pr. Jean-Yves Marion (INPL, LORIA)

Pr. Felipe Cucker (City University of Hong Kong)
Jury: Dr. Olivier Bournez (LORIA)

Dr. Siu Wing Cheng (Hong Kong University of Science and Technology)

Pr. Felipe Cucker (City University of Hong Kong)

Dr. Mordecai Golin (Hong Kong University of Science and Technology)

Pr. Jean-Yves Marion (INPL, LORIA)

Dr. DingXuan Zhou (City University of Hong Kong)
Referees: Dr. Mordecai Golin (Hong Kong University of Science and Technology)

Pr. Pascal Koiran (Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon)

Pr. Michel de Rougemont (Université Paris II)

Dr. DingXuan Zhou (City University of Hong Kong)
Abstract: We focus on the BSS model of computation over arbitrary structures. We provide new completeness results for geometrical problems when this structure is the set of real numbers with addition and order. We also provide several machine independent characterizations of complexity classes over arbitrary structures. We extend some results by Grädel, Gurevich and Meer in descriptive complexity, characterizing deterministic and non deterministic polynomial time decision problems in terms of logics over metafinite structures. We extend some results by Bellantoni and Cook, characterizing functions computable in sequential determinisitc polynomial time, and by Leivant and Marion, characterizing functions computable in parallel determinisitc polynomial time in terms of algebras of recursive functions. We also provide some characterizations of functions computable within the polynomial hierarchy and in polynomial alternating time.
Keywords
BSS model of computation, algebraic complexity, descriptive complexity, imlpicitecomplexity, logic, algebra of recursive functions.


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