An elementary proof of representation of submodular function as an supremum of measures on $\sigma$-algebra with totally ordered generating class

Abstract

We give an alternative proof of a fact that a finite continuous non-decreasing submodular set function on a measurable space can be expressed as a supremum of measures dominated by the function, if there exists a class of sets which is totally ordered with respect to inclusion and generates the sigma-algebra of the space. The proof is elementary in the sense that the measure attaining the supremum in the claim is constructed by a standard extension theorem of measures. As a consequence, a uniquness of the supremum attaining measure also follows. A Polish space is an examples of the measurable space which has a class of totally ordered sets that generates the Borel sigma-algebra.