Measure with respect to complete measure is also complete

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the conditions under which a measure ##\nu## is complete given that another measure ##\mu## is complete. Participants explore the implications of completeness in measure theory, particularly focusing on subsets of null sets and the relationships between different measures.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant defines a complete measure space and questions the conditions under which another measure ##\nu## can also be complete if ##\mu## is complete.
  • Another participant suggests that if ##\nu## is not complete, there exists a set ##N## such that ##\nu(N) = 0## but a subset ##S \subset N## is not in the sigma-algebra ##\mathcal{M}##, leading to a contradiction if ##\mu(N) = 0##.
  • A later reply reiterates the previous point about the contradiction and emphasizes that the only scenario where this occurs is if ##\nu(N) = 0## and ##\mu(N) > 0##.
  • One participant expresses confusion and proposes that if ##\mu## is complete and a function is positive almost everywhere with respect to ##\mu##, then the relationship between the measures implies that subsets of null sets should also belong to the sigma-algebra of ##\nu##.
  • Another participant introduces the idea that there may need to be conditions on the function or its support to ensure completeness, suggesting that if a set is zero for the new measure, all its subsets must be in the algebra for ##\nu## to be complete.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the conditions necessary for the completeness of ##\nu##, indicating that there is no consensus on the matter. The discussion remains unresolved with multiple competing perspectives.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight the importance of specific conditions related to the measures and functions involved, but these conditions remain unspecified and unresolved within the discussion.

psie
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TL;DR
I haven't read much about the Radon–Nikodym theorem and the necessary background to understand this theorem, but I was wondering about the following basic definition of a measure; if ##f## is a nonnegative, measurable function, and ##(X,\mathcal M,\mu)## is any measure space, we can define $$\nu(A)=\int_A f\,d\mu$$ for ##A\in\mathcal M##. That this is a measure on ##\mathcal M## is not so hard to verify, but I wonder under what conditions this measure is complete.
A measure space ##(X,\mathcal M,\mu)## is complete iff $$S\subset N\in\mathcal M\text{ and }\mu(N)=0\implies S\in\mathcal M.$$The meaning of a complete measure is a measure whose domain includes all subsets of null sets.

Suppose now ##\mu## is complete. Under what conditions is ##\nu## also complete? I've heard different claims about this, which now has cast doubt upon my judgement of what is correct and incorrect. I'd be grateful if anyone could clarify this.
 
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Suppose \nu is not complete. Then there exists a set N such that \nu(N) = 0 but there exists S \subset N such that S \notin \mathcal{M}. If \mu(N) = 0 this is a contradiction, so the only way this can happen is if \nu(N) = 0 and \mu(N) > 0.
 
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pasmith said:
Suppose \nu is not complete. Then there exists a set N such that \nu(N) = 0 but there exists S \subset N such that S \notin \mathcal{M}. If \mu(N) = 0 this is a contradiction, so the only way this can happen is if \nu(N) = 0 and \mu(N) > 0.
Hmm, I'm not sure I understand. I was thinking; if ##\mu## is complete and ##f>0## ##\mu##-a.e., then we will have ##\nu(N)=0\implies \mu(N)=0## (in fact, the other direction holds too). Hence $$S\subset N\in\mathcal M\text{ and }\nu(N)=0\implies S\subset N\in\mathcal M\text{ and }\mu(N)=0\implies S\in\mathcal M.$$Are we saying the same thing?
 
There has to be some conditiin on the function, may be on the support. Otherwise any set it is zero on will be null for the new measure and all it subsets need to be in the algebra if the new measure is complete.
 

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