Sufficiency and Petz recovery for positive maps

Lauritz van Luijk, Henrik Wilming (Apr 10 2026).

Abstract: We study the interconversion of families of quantum states ("statistical experiments") via positive, trace-preserving (PTP) maps and clarify its mathematical structure in terms of minimal sufficient Jordan algebras, which can be seen to generalize the Koashi-Imoto decomposition to the PTP setting. In particular, we show that Neyman-Pearson tests generate the minimal sufficient Jordan algebra, and hence also the minimal sufficient *-algebra corresponding to the Koashi-Imoto decomposition. As applications, we show that a) equality in the data-processing inequality for the relative entropy or the $\alpha$-$z$ quantum Rényi divergence implies the existence of a recovery map also in the PTP case and b) that two dichotomies can be interconverted by PTP maps if and only if they can be interconverted by decomposable, trace-preserving maps. We thoroughly review the necessary mathematical background on Jordan algebras. As a step beyond the finite-dimensional case, we also prove Frenkel's formula for approximately finite-dimensional von Neumann algebras.

Arxiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.08380