\(H^{q}_{2}(T,G,{\partial})\) and \(q\)-perfect crossed modules (Q1395758)

The concept of crossed module has been proved to be significant not only in homotopy theory, but also in many purely algebraic settings, such as group theory, homological algebra, ring theory or algebraic K-theory. Therefore it is quite interesting to study their algebraic structure. A group \(G\) is called \(q\)-perfect if it coincides with its \(q\)-commutator subgroup. \textit{R. Brown} [Publ. Mat., Barc. 34, 291--297 (1990; Zbl 0729.20013)] studied \(q\)-perfect groups and the universal central extensions of \(q\)-perfect groups. To generalize this result the notion of \(q\)-perfect crossed module (that is, a crossed module which coincides with its \(q\)-commutator crossed submodule), is used. In context of crossed modules, central extensions of crossed modules were used in the study of perfect covers for crossed modules by \textit{K. Norrie} [``Crossed modules and analogues of group theorems'', Ph.D. Thesis, King's College, Univ. London, London, 1987], where she stated that a crossed module admits a universal central extension if and only if it is perfect. She determined the universal central extensions of perfect crossed modules. In a previous paper, \textit{J. L. Doncel-Juárez} and \textit{A. R. Grandjean} [J. Pure Appl. Algebra 81, 279--292 (1992; Zbl 0829.20045)] extend the results of Brown and Norrie to the case of \(q\)-perfect crossed modules. They give a characterization of universal \(q\)-central extensions of crossed modules and show that a crossed module has a universal \(q\)-central extension if and only if it is \(q\)-perfect. This result covers, respectively, the Norrie's result for \(q=0\) and Brown's one for a \(q\)-perfect group. In the present paper, another description of the universal central extension, in terms of non-abelian tensor products modulo \(q\) of crossed modules, is given. The authors introduce an invariant \(H^q_2(T,G,\partial)\) for \(q\) a non-negative integer and \((T,G,\partial)\) a crossed module. This invariant generalises the second homology group with coefficients in \(\mathbb{Z}_q\), and it is the kernel of the universal \(q\)-central extension of the crossed module \((T,G,\partial)\).