L. S. category of the total space in a fibration and \(k\)-monomorphisms (Q5925874)

The author introduces a family of homotopical numerical invariants for a continuous map which includes as particular cases the category of Lyusternik-Shnirel'man, \(L.S. cat\), and the sectional category, \(secat\), of the map. Some properties of these new invariants allow to deduce directly two results of \textit{F. Takens} [Compos. Math. 22, 175-180 (1970; Zbl 0198.28302)] on \(secat\) and \(L.S. cat\). Next, the author defines the notions of \(k\)-monomorphism, \(k\)-triviality and \(mono(h)\) in order to measure the obstruction of a map \(h\) to have a homotopy retraction. The main theorem provides an upper bound for the L.S. category of a space \(Y\), given a map \(h:A\rightarrow Y\), in terms of \(secat\), \(mono\) and \(L.S. cat\) of \(h\). Among the corollaries of this theorem, an improvement of a well-known result of \textit{K. A. Hardie} [Mich. Math. J. 17, 351-352 (1970; Zbl 0185.51103)] about the L-S-category of the total space in a fibration should be remarked. Finally, the author gives a characterization of \(k\)-monomorphism for rational spaces, using Sullivan's models, generalizing a result about homotopy monomorphisms of \textit{Y. Félix} and \textit{J. C. Thomas} [Lect. Notes Math. 1183, 136-169 (1986; Zbl 0594.55011)].