Problem packetResearch packetR37
The two-variable counting fragment is closed under complement
Link to a section
The record cites sources for its explanation.
Recorded status: reported
Recorded scope: spectra of first-order sentences using two variables and counting quantifiers over arbitrary finite relational vocabularies
Complete recorded scope and conditions
{
"kind": "family",
"statement": "spectra of first-order sentences using two variables and counting quantifiers over arbitrary finite relational vocabularies",
"family": "two-variable first-order logic with counting, C2"
}Originating problem: Asser's complement problem for first-order spectra
Recorded relationships: Asser's complement problem remains open
Authored record and scope
- Authored title
- The two-variable counting fragment is closed under complement
- Record type
- claim
- Stored status
- reported
- Evidence grade
- sourced
- Recorded scope data
- { "kind": "family", "statement": "spectra of first-order sentences using two variables and counting quantifiers over arbitrary finite relational vocabularies", "family": "two-variable first-order logic with counting, C2" }
- Linked research record IDs
- R38
2Authored explanation
Kopczyński and Tan translate the existence of finite models of a \(C^2\) sentence into Presburger conditions on the sizes of vertex classes in regular and biregular graphs. This proves that every \(C^2\) spectrum is semilinear. Their converse construction represents every semilinear set as the spectrum of a \(C^2\) sentence. Semilinear sets are closed under complement, which gives the fragment-level result. Restricting their natural-number convention to the positive cardinalities used by this problem preserves the conclusion.
This theorem permits arbitrary finite relational vocabularies inside \(C^2\) and allows counting quantifiers. The checked variable-hierarchy reduction places the unresolved case at three variables.
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3Evidence
A verification source is cited. This record has no executable replay attached.
Verification source: doi.org ↗, Theorem 2.1 through Corollary 2.4, pp. 4–5
4What was measured
5How it connects
Supports
- claim
Informed by
- attempt
Recorded for
- problem
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Machine-readable record
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"slug": "asser-claim-c2-semilinear-complement-closure",
"type": "claim",
"title": "The two-variable counting fragment is closed under complement",
"summary": "The spectra of two-variable first-order logic with counting are exactly the semilinear subsets of the natural numbers, so this fragment has spectrum complements.",
"relevance": "For Asser's complement problem for first-order spectra, record asser-claim-c2-semilinear-complement-closure (“The two-variable counting fragment is closed under complement”) records a bound, answer, status fact, or structural consequence. The record states: The spectra of two-variable first-order logic with counting are exactly the semilinear subsets of the natural numbers, so this fragment has spectrum complements.",
"relevance_source": "recorded",
"body": "Kopczyński and Tan translate the existence of finite models of a \\(C^2\\) sentence into Presburger conditions on the sizes of vertex classes in regular and biregular graphs. This proves that every \\(C^2\\) spectrum is semilinear. Their converse construction represents every semilinear set as the spectrum of a \\(C^2\\) sentence. Semilinear sets are closed under complement, which gives the fragment-level result. Restricting their natural-number convention to the positive cardinalities used by this problem preserves the conclusion.\n\nThis theorem permits arbitrary finite relational vocabularies inside \\(C^2\\) and allows counting quantifiers. The checked variable-hierarchy reduction places the unresolved case at three variables.",
"status": "reported",
"evidence_grade": "sourced",
"scope": {
"kind": "family",
"statement": "spectra of first-order sentences using two variables and counting quantifiers over arbitrary finite relational vocabularies",
"family": "two-variable first-order logic with counting, C2"
},
"reproduction": {
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"readiness": "source_only",
"kind": "claim",
"citation": {
"url": "https://doi.org/10.1137/130943625",
"locator": "Theorem 2.1 through Corollary 2.4, pp. 4–5"
},
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"source": {
"url": "https://doi.org/10.1137/130943625",
"locator": "Theorem 2.1 through Corollary 2.4, pp. 4–5"
},
"models": [],
"relations": [
{
"slug": "R38",
"title": "Asser's complement problem remains open",
"object_type": "claim",
"relation": "supports",
"direction": "outgoing"
},
{
"slug": "R34",
"title": "Dated source and duplicate audit",
"object_type": "attempt",
"relation": "informs",
"direction": "incoming"
},
{
"slug": "first-order-spectra-complement-closure",
"title": "first order spectra complement closure",
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}7Provenance
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