Representable distributive quasi relation algebras

Abstract

We give a definition of representability for distributive quasi relation algebras (DqRAs). These algebras are a generalisation of relation algebras and were first described by Galatos and Jipsen (2013). Our definition uses a construction that starts with a poset. The algebra is concretely constructed as the lattice of upsets of a partially ordered equivalence relation. The key to defining the three negation-like unary operations is to impose certain symmetry requirements on the partial order. Our definition of representable distributive quasi relation algebras is easily seen to be a generalisation of the definition of representable relations algebras by Jonsson and Tarski (1948). We give examples of representable DqRAs and give a necessary condition for an algebra to be finitely representable. We leave open the questions of whether every DqRA is representable, and also whether the class of representable DqRAs forms a variety. Moreover, our definition provides many other opportunities for investigations in the spirit of those carried out for representable relation algebras.