n-closure systems and n-closure operators

It is very well known and permeating the whole of mathematics that a closure operator on a given set gives rise to a closure system, whose constituent sets form a complete lattice under inclusion, and vice-versa. Recent work of Wille on triadic concept analysis and subsequent work by the author on polyadic concept analysis led to the introduction of complete trilattices and complete n-lattices, respectively, that generalize complete lattices and capture the order-theoretic structure of the collection of concepts associated with polyadic formal contexts. In the present paper, polyadic closure operators and polyadic closure systems are introduced and they are shown to be in a relationship similar to the one that exists between ordinary (dyadic) closure operators and ordinary (dyadic) closure systems. Finally, the algebraic case is given some special consideration. This paper is dedicated to Walter Taylor. Received March 10, 2005; accepted in final form March 7, 2006.