A strongly polynomial algorithm for criticality of branching processes and consistency of stochastic context-free grammars

• We provide the first strongly polynomial algorithm for criticality of branching processes.
• The same algorithm decides consistency of stochastic context-free grammars.
• We apply the algorithm to a problem of nuclear physics.

We provide a strongly polynomial algorithm for determining whether a given multi-type branching process is subcritical, critical, or supercritical. The same algorithm also decides consistency of stochastic context-free grammars.