MetaChem: An Algebraic Framework for Artificial Chemistries

Penelope Faulkner Rainford; Angelika Sebald; Susan Stepney

doi:10.1162/artl_a_00315

MetaChem: An Algebraic Framework for Artificial Chemistries

Artif Life. 2020 Spring;26(2):153-195. doi: 10.1162/artl_a_00315. Epub 2020 Apr 9.

Authors

Penelope Faulkner Rainford^{1

2}, Angelika Sebald³, Susan Stepney⁴

Affiliations

¹ University of York, Department of Chemistry, York Cross-disciplinary Centre for Systems Analysis.
² University of Hull, Business School. p.rainford@hull.ac.uk.
³ University of York, Department of Chemistry, York Cross-disciplinary Centre for Systems Analysis. angelika.sebald@york.ac.uk.
⁴ University of York, Department of Computer Science, York Cross-disciplinary Centre for Systems Analysis. susan.stepney@york.ac.uk.

PMID: 32271636
DOI: 10.1162/artl_a_00315

Abstract

We introduce MetaChem, a language for representing and implementing artificial chemistries. We motivate the need for modularization and standardization in representation of artificial chemistries. We describe a mathematical formalism for Static Graph MetaChem, a static-graph-based system. MetaChem supports different levels of description, and has a formal description; we illustrate these using StringCatChem, a toy artificial chemistry. We describe two existing artificial chemistries-Jordan Algebra AChem and Swarm Chemistry-in MetaChem, and demonstrate how they can be combined in several different configurations by using a MetaChem environmental link. MetaChem provides a route to standardization, reuse, and composition of artificial chemistries and their tools.

Keywords: Artificial chemistry; Jordan algebra; MetaChem; algebraic framework; nested chemistry; swarm chemistry.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Algorithms*
Chemical Phenomena*
Origin of Life*