The enriched Thomason model structure on 2-categories (Q6146463)

The Thomason model structure on the category \(\mathsf{Cat}\)\ of small categories was established by \textit{R. W. Thomason} [Cah. Topologie Géom. Différ. Catégoriques 21, 305--324 (1980; Zbl 0473.18012)] and \textit{D.-C. Cisinski} [Cah. Topologie Géom. Différ. Catégoriques 40, No. 3, 227--231 (1999; Zbl 0938.18008)], being Quillen equivalent to the Kan-Quillen model structure on simplicial sets. It is natural to ask whether the above Quillen equivalence has an analogue for \(\left( \infty,1\right) \)-categories. This paper answers the question affirmatively. Theorem (Theorem 5.11 and Theorem 5.14). The category \(\mathsf{Cat}_{\mathsf{Cat}}\) of small 2-categories admits a left proper combinatorial structure (the enriched Thomason model structure) whose weak equivalences are Dwyer-Kan equivalences and acyclic fibrations are Dwyer-Kan acyclic fibrations. The Quillen equivalence \[ \mathsf{c}\mathrm{Sd}^{2}\mathrm{\dashv Ex}^{2}\mathrm{N\;}\left( \text{Proposition 3.9}\right) \] induces a Quillen equivalence \[ L\dashv R,\;L:\mathsf{Cat}_{\mathsf{sSet}}\rightarrow\mathsf{Cat} _{\mathsf{Cat}},\;R:\mathsf{Cat}_{\mathsf{Cat}}\rightarrow\mathsf{Cat} _{\mathsf{sSet}} \] where the right adjoint functor \ applies the functor \(\mathrm{Ex} ^{2}\mathrm{N}\)\ to every hom-object. In support of the above main theorem, the author establishes that the Thomason model structure enjoys a collection of properties that make it similar to the Kan-Quillen model structure on simplicial sets, with a prominent exception of the pushout product axiom. Theorem (Proposition 3.8, Proposition 3.9, Proposition 4.3). The Thomason model structure (Definition 2.3) on the category \(\mathsf{Cat}\)\ of small categories is a proper combinatorial model category that is tractable (Definition 2.10), pretty small (Definition 2.12), h-monoidal (Definition 3.6), flat (Definition 3.3), and abides the properties of the monoid axiom (Definition 3.7) otherthan the nonacyclic part of the pushout product axiom (Definition 3.1). Every model structure on the same category with the same weak equivalences is not a cartesian model structure. Furthermore, the Quillen equivalence \[ \mathsf{c}\mathrm{Sd}^{2}\mathrm{\dashv Ex}^{2}\mathrm{N},\;\mathsf{c} \mathrm{Sd}^{2}:\mathsf{sSet}\rightarrow\mathsf{Cat},\;\mathrm{Ex} ^{2}\mathrm{N}:\mathsf{Cat}\rightarrow\mathsf{sSet} \] abides by the conditions of a weak monoidal Quillen equivalence in the sense of [Zbl 1028.55013, Definition 3.6], except for the nonacyclic part of the pushout product axiom. Lack [1069.18008, Theorem 4] constructs a model structure on the category of small 2-categories whose weak equivalences are equivalences of 2-categories. A Thomason model structure on the category of small 2-categories is constructed in [\textit{K. Worytkiewicz} et al., J. Pure Appl. Algebra 208, No. 1, 205--236 (2007; Zbl 1119.18006); \textit{K. Worytkiewicz} et al., J. Pure Appl. Algebra 220, No. 12, 4017--4023 (2016; Zbl 1370.18006); \textit{D. Ara}, ``Model category structures à la Thomason on 2-Cat'', Preprint, \url{arXiv:1607.03644}; \textit{D. Ara} and \textit{G. Maltsiniotis}, Adv. Math. 259, 557--654 (2014; Zbl 1308.18004); \textit{J. Chiche}, Theory Appl. Categ. 30, 49--85 (2015; Zbl 1316.18008)], being shown to be Quillen equivalent to the Kan-Quillen model structure on simplicial sets. \textit{T. M. Fiore} and \textit{S. Paoli} [Algebr. Geom. Topol. 10, No. 4, 1933--2008 (2010; Zbl 1203.18014)] introduces a Thomason model structure on small strict \(n\)-fold categories, which is shown to be Quillen equivalent to simplicial sets. \textit{G. Raptis} [Homology Homotopy Appl. 12, No. 2, 211--230 (2010; Zbl 1215.18017)] constructs a Thomason model structure on the category of small posets, which is shown to be Quillen equivalent to the Thomason model structure on small categories. \textit{R. Bruckner} [``A model structure on the category of small acyclic categories'', Preprint, \url{arXiv:1508.00992}] constructs a Thomason model structure on acyclic categories, while \textit{R. Bruckner} and \textit{C. Pegel} [``Cofibrant objects in the Thomason model structure'', Preprint, \url{arXiv:1603.05448}] give examples of cofibrant posets in the Thomason model structure. It is shown in [\textit{L. Meier} and \textit{V. Ozornova}, Homology Homotopy Appl. 17, No. 2, 53--80 (2015; Zbl 1332.18019)] that the category of weak equivalences of a Barwick-Kan partial model categories [\textit{C. Barwick} and \textit{D. M. Kan}, ``Partial model categories and their simplicial nerves'', Preprint, \url{arXiv:1102.2512}] is Thomason fibrant. \textit{L. Meier} [Algebr. Geom. Topol. 16, No. 6, 3271--3300 (2016; Zbl 1353.18010)] establishes that the category of weak equivalences of a fibration category is Thomason-fibrant.