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Extension of measures and stochastic equations
M. P. Ershov V. A. Steklov Mathematical Institute, USSR Academy of Sciences
Abstract:
E. Szpilrajn-Marczewski [2] constucted a measure on a sub-
$\sigma$-algebra of the Borel
$\sigma$-algebra in a complete separable metric space which could not be extended to the Borel
$\sigma$-algebra. That measure was not separable. In connection with this example, E. Szpilrajn-Marczewski [3] posed the following problem:
whether any separable measure on the $\sigma$-algebra generated by a family of Borel sets in a complete separable metric sprace can be extended to the whole Borel $\sigma$-algebra.
In the paper, this problem is answered, in general, negatively. However, it is proved that an extension does exist under the condition that the
$\sigma$-algebra the original measure is defined on is countably generated.
The problem of extending a measure is shown to be equivalent to that of solving a stochastic equation: given a measurable mapping
$F$ of a measurable space (
$X$,
$\mathscr X$) into a measure space (
$Y$,
$\mathscr Y$,
$\nu$), a measure
$\mu$ on (
$X$,
$\mathscr X$) is called
a solution of the stochastic equation
$$
F\circ\mu=\nu
$$
if, for any
$B\in\mathscr Y$ $\mu(F^{-1}\circ B)=\nu B$.
For sufficiently “respectable” spaces (
$X$,
$\mathscr X$) and (
$Y$,
$\mathscr Y$), the condition
$$
(F^{-1}\circ B)\ne\varnothing\quad\forall B\in\mathscr Y\colon\nu(B)>0
$$
is proved to be sufficient (and obviously necessary) for the equation
$F\circ\mu=\nu$ to have at least one solution.
The problem of uniqueness of a solution of the equation
$F\circ\mu=\nu $, respectively, of an extension of a given measure is also investigated.
Received: 03.09.1973