Menas' result is best possible

Abstract

Generalizing some earlier techniques due to the second author, we show that Menas' theorem which states that the least cardinal kappa which is a measurable limit of supercompact or strongly compact cardinals is strongly compact but not 2^kappa supercompact is best possible. Using these same techniques, we also extend and give a new proof of a theorem of Woodin and extend and give a new proof of an unpublished theorem due to the first author.