The three types of normal sequential effect algebras

A sequential effect algebra (SEA) is an effect algebra equipped with a sequential product operation modeled after the Lüders product (a,b)↦aba on C∗-algebras. A SEA is called normal when it has all suprema of directed sets, and the sequential product interacts suitably with these suprema. The effects on a Hilbert space and the unit interval of a von Neumann or JBW algebra are examples of normal SEAs that are in addition convex, i.e. possess a suitable action of the real unit interval on the algebra. Complete Boolean algebras form normal SEAs too, which are convex only when 0=1.We show that any normal SEA E splits as a direct sum E=Eb⊕Ec⊕Eac of a complete Boolean algebra Eb, a convex normal SEA Ec, and a newly identified type of normal SEA Eac we dub purely almost-convex.Along the way we show, among other things, that a SEA which contains only idempotents must be a Boolean algebra; and we establish a spectral theorem using which we settle for the class of normal SEAs a problem of Gudder regarding the uniqueness of square roots. After establishing our main result, we propose a simple extra axiom for normal SEAs that excludes the seemingly pathological a-convex SEAs. We conclude the paper by a study of SEAs with an associative sequential product. We find that associativity forces normal SEAs satisfying our new axiom to be commutative, shedding light on the question of why the sequential product in quantum theory should be non-associative.

Completeness in Quasi-Pseudometric Spaces—A Survey

The aim of this paper is to discuss the relations between various notions of sequential completeness and the corresponding notions of completeness by nets or by filters in the setting of quasi-metric spaces. We propose a new definition of right K-Cauchy net in a quasi-metric space for which the corresponding completeness is equivalent to the sequential completeness. In this way we complete some results of R. A. Stoltenberg, Proc. London Math. Soc. 17 (1967), 226–240, and V. Gregori and J. Ferrer, Proc. Lond. Math. Soc., III Ser., 49 (1984), 36. A discussion on nets defined over ordered or pre-ordered directed sets is also included.

GAP SEQUENCES OF GRAPH-DIRECTED SETS

This paper studies the gap sequences of graph-directed sets satisfying the strong separation condition. An interesting application is to investigate the gap sequences of self-similar sets with overlaps.

THE TUKEY ORDER ON COMPACT SUBSETS OF SEPARABLE METRIC SPACES

One partially ordered set, Q, is a Tukey quotient of another, P, if there is a map (a Tukey quotient) $\phi :P \to Q$ carrying cofinal sets of P to cofinal sets of Q. Two partial orders which are mutual Tukey quotients of each other are said to be Tukey equivalent. Let ${\cal D}_{\rm{}} $ be the partially ordered set of Tukey equivalence classes of directed sets of size $ \le {\rm{}}$. It is shown that ${\cal D}_{\rm{}} $ contains an antichain of size $2^{\rm{}} $, and so has size $2^{\rm{}} $. The elements of the antichain are of the form ${\cal K}\left( M \right)$, the set of compact subsets of a separable metrizable space M, ordered by inclusion. The order structure of such ${\cal K}\left( M \right)$’s under Tukey quotients is investigated. Relative Tukey quotients are introduced. Applications are given to function spaces and to the complexity of weakly countably determined Banach spaces and Gul’ko compacta.