A note on probabilistic powerdomains, RB-domains, and bc-domains

Abstract

For a finite nonempty poset \(F\), the normalized probabilistic powerdomain \(\Vone(F)\) is an RB-domain exactly when \(F\) is a finite rooted tree. We extend this classification to arbitrary nonempty dcpos from the viewpoint of forbidden structure. The principal-ideal chain condition is expressed by the absence of a lower fork, i.e. a triple \((x,y,t)\) with \(x\leq t\), \(y\leq t\), and \(x\parallel y\). A useful point is that any dcpo $P$ without lower forks is continuous. For normalized valuations the least element remains necessary, and we prove \[ \begin{aligned} \Vone(P)\text{ is RB} \Longleftrightarrow \Vone(P)\text{ is a pointed bc-domain} \Longleftrightarrow P\text{ has a least element and contains no lower fork}. \end{aligned} \] For subprobability and extended valuations, the analogous classifications hold without the pointedness assumption on \(P\).