A framework for system specification using chains on cell complexes

This paper describes a framework for the specification and manipulation of models of systems. The systems are modelled within this framework using cha in models, which permit the specification and manipulation of attributes as sociated with the topological elements of the systems. The paper provides a formalism which modifies and extends an already-existing formalism, and, a lso, a practical software kernel with a convenient application programming interface (API). Examples of system specification using the API are given, to illustrate that quite complicated systems can be modelled in a clear and concise way by means of the chain-model approach. (C) 1999 Elsevier Scienc e Ltd. All rights reserved.