Compatibility and marginality (Q2643687)

The authors continue their earlier investigations on \(s\)-maps, which have been introduced to define e.g. conditional probability for non compatible events in quantum structures. Let \(L\) be an orthomodular lattice. A map \(p: L^2\to [0,1]\) is called an \(s\)-map iff (i) \(p(1,1)=1\), (ii) \(p(a,b)=0\) for any \(a,b\) with \(a\perp b\) (iii) if \(a\perp b\) then \(p(a\vee b,c)=p(a,c)+p(b,c)\) and \(p(c,a\vee b)=p(c,a)+p(c,b)\) for any \(c\in L\). The authors generalize this notion to mappings \(p: L^n\to [0,1]\) which they call \(s_n\)-maps. They prove some basic properties and introduce the joint distribution, and the joint distribution function of the observables \(x_1,\dots,x_n\). Compatibility of two observables implies total commutativity (Prop. 3.2). The connection with marginal distribution functions is explored (Prop. 3.3).