Noncontextual coloring of orthogonality hypergraphs

Abstract

We discuss representations and colorings of orthogonality hypergraphs in terms of their two-valued states interpretable as classical truth assignments. Such hypergraphs, if they allow for a faithful orthogonal representation, have quantum mechanical realizations in terms of intertwined contexts or maximal observables that are widely discussed as empirically testable criteria for contextuality. A reconstruction is possible for the class of perfectly separable hypergraphs. Colorings can be constructed from a minimal set of two-valued states. Some examples from exempt categories are presented, which either cannot be reconstructed by two-valued states or whose two-valued states cannot yield a chromatic number that is equal to the maximal clique number.