Internalization and enrichment via spans and matrices in a tricategory (Q6063398)

This paper aims twofold. \begin{itemize} \item[1.] The authors carry out the construction hinted in [\textit{T. Cottrell} et al., Tbil. Math. J. 10, No. 3, 239--254 (2017; Zbl 1390.18012)] to make a 2-categorical proof of the characterization of equivalence of bicategories of matrices and spans in a1-category \(V\) on the one hand and of the categories enriched and discretely internal in \(V\)\ on the other. \item[2.] The authors generalize the construction to tricategories, whose 1-cells obey strict associativity and unitality laws. \end{itemize} The synopsis of the paper goes as follows. \begin{itemize} \item[\S 2] sets up conventions for notations for tricategories. \item[\S 3] introduces a weighted 3-limits, specializing to 3-pullbacks and 3-(co)products. \item[\S 4] presents the characterization [\textit{T. Cottrell} et al., Tbil. Math. J. 10, No. 3, 239--254 (2017; Zbl 1390.18012)] of the equivalence of bicategories of spans and matrices in 1-categories in terms of extensivity, extending it to their respective double categories. The authors consider the double categories of monads in the latter double categories, deducing that if the former double categories are equivalent, then so are the latter. \item[\S 5] constructs the \(\left( 1\times2\right) \)-category \(\mathcal{M} \)\ of matrices in \(V\). \item[\S 6] constructs the \(\left( 1\times2\right) \)-category \(\mathcal{S} \)\ of spans in \(V\). \item[\S 7] defines the (co)lax functors between them, defining pseudofunctors between their respective bicategories of morphisms \(D_{1}\)\ and \(C_{1}\). \item[\S 8] introduces monads in tricategories and the category of monads and vertical monad morphisms in \(\left( 1\times2\right) \)-categories. The authors also give an equivalent condition for \(\mathcal{M}\)\ and \(\mathcal{S} \)\ to be equivalent. \end{itemize}