  Consider a joint quantum state of a system and its environment. A measurement
on the environment induces a decomposition of the system state. Using
algorithmic information theory, we define the preparation information of a pure
or mixed state in a given decomposition. We then define an optimal
decomposition as a decomposition for which the average preparation information
is minimal. The average preparation information for an optimal decomposition
characterizes the system-environment correlations. We discuss properties and
applications of the concepts introduced above and give several examples.
