Modal and guarded characterisation theorems over finite transition systems

We explore the finite model theory of the characterisation theorems for modal and guarded fragments of first-order logic over transition systems and relational structures of width two. A new construction of locally acyclic bisimilar covers provides a useful analogue of the well known treelike unravellings that can be used for the purposes of finite model theory. Together with various other finitary bisimulation respecting model transformations, and Ehrenfeucht-Fraisse game arguments, these covers allow us to upgrade finite approximations for full bisimulation equivalence towards approximations for elementary equivalence. These techniques are used to prove several ramifications of the van Benthem-Rosen characterisation theorem of basic modal logic for refinements of ordinary bisimulation equivalence, both in the sense of classical and of finite model theory. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.