On the Axiomatisability of Parallel Composition: A Journey in the Spectrum

This paper studies the existence of finite equational axiomatisations of the interleaving parallel composition operator modulo the behavioural equivalences in van Glabbeek’s linear time-branching time spectrum. In the setting of the process algebra BCCSP over a finite set of actions, we provide finite, ground-complete axiomatisations for various simulation and (decorated) trace semantics. On the other hand, we show that no congruence over that language that includes bisimilarity and is included in possible futures equivalence has a finite, ground-complete axiomatisation. This negative result applies to all the nested trace and nested simulation semantics.