Relative category and monoidal topological complexity (Q2452021)

Let \(f: Y\to X\) be a map. In the paper under review, the authors study the Doeraene-El Haouari conjecture [\textit{J.-P. Doeraene} and \textit{M. El Haouari}, Bull. Belg. Math. Soc. - Simon Stevin 20, No. 5, 769--776 (2013; Zbl 1288.55001)] and the Iwase-Sakai conjecture [\textit{N. Iwase} and \textit{M. Sakai}, Topology Appl. 159, No. 10--11, 2810--2813 (2012; Zbl 1243.55002)]. Recall that the Doeraene-El Haouari conjecture claims that if \(f\) admits a homotopy section, then \(\mathrm{secat}(f)=\mathrm{relcat}(f)\) while the Iwase-Sakai conjecture states that for \(X\) a locally finite simplical complex, \(\mathrm{TC}(X)=\mathrm{TC}^M(X)\) where \(\mathrm{TC}^M(X)\) is the monoidal topological complexity. The authors prove that if the Doeraene-El Haouari conjecture is true, then the Iwase-Sakai conjecture is also true. It is then easily shown that if a CW complex \(X\) is an \(H\)-space, then topological complexity, monoidal topological complexity, and Lusternik--Schnirelmann category of \(X\) all coincide. The paper then turns to proving the Doeraene-El Haouari conjecture in special cases. A stable version after suspension of the Doeraene-El Haouari conjecture is proved, as well as in the case when a weak version \(\mathrm{wrelcat}(f)\) and \(\mathrm{wsecat}(f)\) are defined. The paper concludes by proving certain cases of a rational version of the Doeraene-El Haouari conjecture.