Paper Info
Title
Conservation of Mass Analysis for Bio-PEPA
Abstract
This paper describes a static analysis for Bio-PEPA models based on the notion of conservation of mass. Failure to obey the law of mass conservation can be an indication that there is an error in the model description. Here we focus on the use of invariant analysis to identify such potential flaws in models. We extend the basic technique to consider open models, in which it is possible to automatically ignore some causes of mass production or consumption that are unlikely to be errors. Our approach is an improvement on direct application of invariant analysis because it does not depend on a deep understanding of the model and prior expectations of the sets of components which should have conserved mass. We demonstrate the use of our technique on a published model from the literature and explain how our analysis can be used to uncover potential problems in the model description. Of course, not all models which fail to conserve mass are flawed. Nevertheless, this represents an important method of model verification which can be applied before the model itself is evaluated - since the analysis does not depend on accurate dynamics it can be undertaken early in the model development process, before the model has been fully parameterised.
Year
DOI
Venue
2013
10.1016/j.entcs.2013.07.008
Electr. Notes Theor. Comput. Sci.
Keywords
Field
DocType
invariant analysis,published model,model description,open model,bio-pepa model,model development process,conserved mass,mass analysis,mass production,model verification,mass conservation
Computer science,Static analysis,Theoretical computer science,Invariant (mathematics),Conservation of mass,PEPA
Journal
Volume
ISSN
Citations 
296,
1571-0661
0
PageRank 
References 
Authors
0.34
15
4
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Allan Clark125913.74
Stephen Gilmore281.59
Maria Luisa Guerriero317611.88
Jane Hillston41657125.09