From computation models to models of provenance: the RWS approach

Scientific workflows often benefit from or even require advanced modeling constructs, e.g. nesting of subworkflows, cycles for executing loops, data‐dependent routing, and pipelined execution. In such settings, an often overlooked aspect of provenance takes center stage: a suitable model of provenance (MoP) for scientific workflows should be based upon the underlying model of computation (MoC) used for executing the workflows. We can derive an adequate MoP from a MoC (such as Kahn's process networks) by taking into account the assumptions that a MoC entails, and by recording the observables which it affords. In this way, a MoP captures or at least better approximates ‘real’ data dependencies for workflows with advanced modeling constructs. As a specific instance, we elaborate on the Read–Write–ReSet model, a simple and flexible MoP suitable for a number of different MoCs.