Quantum covers in quantum measure theory (Q1959138)

Following [\textit{R. D. Sorkin}, Mod. Phys. Lett. A 9, No.~33, 3119--3127 (1994; Zbl 1021.81504)], a decoherence functional on a quantum system \(\mathfrak{S}\) is a mapping \(D: \mathfrak{S}\times\mathfrak{S}\to\mathbb{C}\) which is additive in both arguments and satisfies \(D(A,B) = D^*(B,A)\), \(D(A,A) \geq 0\) for all \(A,B\). A quantum measure is defined as \(|A|=D(A,A)\). It needs not satisfy the Kolmogorov sum rule \(|A \sqcup B| = |A| + |B|\), where \(\sqcup\) denotes the disjoint union, but a weaker quantum sum-rule \(|A \sqcup B \sqcup C| = |A \sqcup B| + |A \sqcup C| + |B \sqcup C| - |A| - |B| - |C|\). A cover of \(A \in \mathfrak{S}\) is a countable collection \(\{A_i\mid i\in I\}\subseteq \mathfrak{S}\) such that \(A=\bigcup_i A_i\). In some quantum experiments (e.g., the 3-slit exeperiment), a cover may violate the following condition: \[ |A|\neq 0 \Longrightarrow \exists i: |A_i|\neq 0. \tag \(*\) \] Thus a quantum cover is defined as a cover satisfying \((*)\). (E.g., for \(\mathfrak{S}\) finite, all atoms below \(A\) form a quantum cover.) The authors study constructions of quantum covers from inextendible (= maximal) antichains.