Limits of transfinite convergent sequences of derivatives (Q5906842)

Let \(I\) be an interval from \(\mathbb{R}\), let \(\Omega\) be the first uncountable ordinal number and \[ f_{\xi} : I \rightarrow \mathbb{R}, \;1 \leq \xi < \Omega \tag{1} \] be a transfinite sequence of real functions. Following \textit{W. Sierpiński} [Sur les suites transfinies convergentes de fonctions de Baire, Fund. Math. 1, 132-141 (1920; JFM 47.0237.01)] we say that \(f:I \rightarrow \mathbb{R}\) is the pointwise limit of the sequence (1) if \(\forall x \in I \;\forall \varepsilon >0 \;\exists \eta < \Omega \^^M\forall \xi \geq \eta : |f(x) - f_{\xi}(x)|< \varepsilon\). In this case (just defined pointwise transfinite convergence of the sequence (1) to \(f\)) we shall write briefly \[ \lim_{\xi <\Omega} f_{\xi} = f.\tag{2} \] The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the pointwise transfinite convergence preserves two important properties of real functions, namely (i) the property of ``being measurable'' but especially (ii) the property of ``being a derivative''. Some assertions from Lebesgue measure theory and well-known statements of set theory (e.g. continuum hypothesis, Martin's axiom, etc.) have the main position in the presentation of author's theorems. First, considering the property (i), we quote explicitly the following result (cf. Theorem 2). Let (1) be a sequence of measurable functions such that (2) holds. Suppose that the union of \(\aleph_1\) Lebesgue null sets on \(\mathbb{R}\) has Lebesgue measure zero. Then the function \(f\) is measurable. Further, using the result just mentioned, the author solves the problem whether the pointwise transfinite convergence preserves the property (ii) too. He proves (cf. Theorem 3) that this problem cannot be solved positively within Zermelo-Fraenkel set theory. Finally, in Theorem 5, a characterization of Baire 1 functions by transfinite convergence is given. Theorem 5 is an analogue of the important result on Baire 2 functions obtained by D. Preiss (for ordinary convergence) in 1969.