Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2016 / iii / Paper 121 / 3 / e / Solution

Take the least omega-measurable cardinal $\kappa$, with a countably complete ultrafilter $U$ on $\kappa$ that is nonprincipal. We prove that $U$ is $\kappa$-complete. This will give $\boxed{\kappa \text{ is measurable}}$.

Suppose $\mu <\kappa$, $A_i\in U$ for $i<\mu$, and ${\bigcap }_{i<\mu }{A}_i\notin U$. Then $B=\kappa \setminus {\bigcap }_{i<\mu }{A}_i$ belongs to $U$. For $x\in B$ let $g(x)$ be the least $i<\mu$ with $x\notin A_i$. The pushforward ultrafilteris a countably complete ultrafilter on $\mu$; this uses $B\in U$, so $U$ restricts to an ultrafilter on $B$. For each $i$, the fibre $g^{-1}[\{i\}]$ is contained in $\kappa \setminus A_i$, hence is not in $U$. Thus $W$ is nonprincipal. If $\mu$ is finite or countable, countable completeness already rules this out. Otherwise $|\mu |<\kappa$ would be an omega-measurable cardinal, contradicting minimality of $\kappa$.

Therefore every intersection of fewer than $\kappa$ members of $U$ lies in $U$. Since $\kappa$ is uncountable, it is a measurable cardinal. This proves that the least omega-measurable cardinal is measurable, even if the originally supplied cardinal carried only a countably complete ultrafilter.