Why are cylinder sets constructed this way?

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I read that given $\Omega = \Omega_1 \times \Omega_2$, where $\Omega_1$ and $\Omega_2$ are sets, the smallest $\sigma$-field generated by rectangles $A = A_1 \times A_2$, where $A_1$ is an interval over $\Omega_1$ and $A_2$ is an interval over $\Omega_2$ can also be generated by 'cylinder sets', i.e.

$$C_1 = \{ A_1 \times \Omega_2\}$$

$$C_2 = \{ \Omega_1 \times A_2 \}$$

such that the $\sigma$-field over $\Omega$ generated by $C_1 \cup C_2$ is the same $\sigma$-field generated by $A$. My question is why couldn't we have the following set as a basis:

$$C^* = \{ \Omega_1 \times \Omega_2 \}$$

How does the $\sigma$-field generated by the one above differ from that of $A$ ?... Is the $\sigma$-field generated by $C^*$ still Lebesgue-measurable?