Atoms of tense algebras (Q2640599)

The purpose of this clear and readable paper is to present some of the major results in temporal algebras \((=\) Boolean algebras with two unary operators, future and past operators) and at the same time develop a portion of the underlying theory. The author studies four equational classes: the class T of all temporal algebras and its subclasses H, L and G, characterized by the fact that the relations of the dual spaces of their algebras are respectively transitive, transitive and linear, transitive and linear and well- founded. The author proves that, for each n, 1) the free algebras \(F_ L(n)\) and \(F_ G(n)\) are atomic, 2) however, the free algebras \(F_ T(n)\) and \(F_ H(n)\) contain exactly \(2^ n\) atoms (and hence they are neither atomic nor atomless).