In mathematics, a vector measure is a function defined on a family of sets and taking vector values satisfying certain properties. It is a generalization of the concept of measure, which takes nonnegative real values only.
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Given a field of sets and a Banach space , a finitely additive vector measure (or measure, for short) is a function such that for any two disjoint sets and in one has
A vector measure is called countably additive if for any sequence of disjoint sets in such that their union is in it holds that
with the series on the right-hand side convergent in the norm of the Banach space
It can be proved that an additive vector measure is countably additive if and only if for any sequence as above one has
where is the norm on
Countably additive vector measures defined on sigma-algebras are more general than measures, signed measures, and complex measures, which are countably additive functions taking values respectively on the extended interval the set of real numbers, and the set of complex numbers.
Consider the field of sets made up of the interval together with the family of all Lebesgue measurable sets contained in this interval. For any such set , define
where is the indicator function of Depending on where is declared to take values, we get two different outcomes.
Both of these statements follow quite easily from the criterion (*) stated above.
Given a vector measure the variation of is defined as
where the supremum is taken over all the partitions
of into a finite number of disjoint sets, for all in . Here, is the norm on
The variation of is a finitely additive function taking values in It holds that
for any in If is finite, the measure is said to be of bounded variation. One can prove that if is a vector measure of bounded variation, then is countably additive if and only if is countably additive.
In the theory of vector measures, Lyapunov's theorem states that the range of a (non-atomic) vector measure is closed and convex.[1][2][3] In fact, the range of a non-atomic vector measure is a zonoid (the closed and convex set that is the limit of a convergent sequence of zonotopes).[2] It is used in economics,[4][5][6] in ("bang–bang") control theory,[1][3][7][8] and in statistical theory.[8] Lyapunov's theorem has been proved by using the Shapley–Folkman lemma,[9] which has been viewed as a discrete analogue of Lyapunov's theorem;[8][10] the Shapley–Folkman lemma has been called a discrete analogue of Lyapunov's theorem.[11]
"Markets with a continuum of traders". Econometrica 32 (1–2): 39–50. January–April 1964. JSTOR 1913732. MR172689.
"Integrals of set-valued functions". Journal of Mathematical Analysis and Applications 12 (1): 1–12. August 1965. doi:10.1016/0022-247X(65)90049-1. MR185073.
The concept of a convex set (i.e., a set containing the segment connecting any two of its points) had repeatedly been placed at the center of economic theory before 1964. It appeared in a new light with the introduction of integration theory in the study of economic competition: If one associates with every agent of an economy an arbitrary set in the commodity space and if one averages those individual sets over a collection of insignificant agents, then the resulting set is necessarily convex. [Debreu appends this footnote: "On this direct consequence of a theorem of A. A. Lyapunov, see Vind (1964)."] But explanations of the ... functions of prices ... can be made to rest on the convexity of sets derived by that averaging process. Convexity in the commodity space obtained by aggregation over a collection of insignificant agents is an insight that economic theory owes ... to integration theory. [Italics added]
Debreu, Gérard (March 1991). "The Mathematization of economic theory". The American Economic Review 81 (Presidential address delivered at the 103rd meeting of the American Economic Association, 29 December 1990, Washington, DC): pp. 1–7. JSTOR 2006785.