Categorial independence and Lévy processes (Q2084155)

\textit{U. Franz} [Lect. Notes Math. 1866, 181--257 (2006; Zbl 1130.81046)] defined independence on \textit{tensor categories with inclusions}. Whereas his definition works nicely for questions concerning independence of two random variables, the approach runs into trouble when there are more random variables involved. The principal objective in this paper is to solve this problem by considering tensor categories with initial unit object in place of tensor categories with inclusions, where Franz' notion of independence can be generalized to arbitrary ordered families of random variables called \textit{categorical independence}. The synopsis of the paper goes as follows. \begin{itemize} \item[\S 2] recalls basic facts about inductive limits and tensor categories. \item[\S 3] recalls Franz' original definition of categorical independence in tensor categories with inclusions, generalizing it it to more than two morphisms in case the inclusions are compatible. It is established that inclusions are compatible iff they are the canonical inclusions in a tensor category with initial unit object. \item[\S 4] introduces a categorical counterpart of convolution semigroups called \textit{comonoidal systems}. It is established, under mild assumptions, that comonoidal systems give rise to categorical Lévy processes by inductive limit constructions. \item[\S 5] addresses examples from algebra and (noncommutative) probability. \end{itemize}