Conditional mutual information: A generalization of causal inference in quantum systems

Abstract: The concept of causality is fundamental to numerous scientific explanations; nonetheless, its extension to the quantum regime has yet to be explored rigorously. This paper introduces the development of a quantum causal index, a novel extension of the classical causal inference framework, tailored to grasp the causal relationships inherent in quantum systems. Our study focuses on the asymmetric quantum conditional mutual information (QCMI), incorporating the von Neumann entropy, as a directional metric of causal influence in quantum many-body systems. We analyze spin chains using the QCMI, implementing a projective measurement on one site as the intervention and monitoring its effect on a distant site conditioned on intermediate spins. Additionally, we study the effective causal propagation velocity, which is the speed at which QCMI becomes significant at distant sites. These findings indicate the presence of finite-speed propagation of causal influence, along with the emergence of coherent oscillations.