The Lambek invariants of commutative squares in a homological category (Q6564074)

Given a commutative square \(S\)\N\[\N\begin{tikzcd} C\arrow[]{r}{\alpha}\arrow{d}[swap]{g} &D \arrow{d}{f}\\\NA \arrow{r}[swap]{\beta} & B \end{tikzcd}\N\]\Nof groups, then the classic Lambek invariants of \(S\) are \[ \operatorname{Im} S := (\operatorname{Im}\beta\cap f)/\operatorname{Im}(f\alpha) \;\;\;\text{ and }\;\;\; \operatorname{Ker} S := \operatorname{Ker}(f\alpha)/(\operatorname{Ker}\alpha\cdot\operatorname{Ker}\alpha). \] Given two commutative squares \(S\) and \(T\)\N\[\N \begin{tikzcd} A\arrow[]{r}{f}\arrow{d}[swap]{a} &B\arrow[]{r}{g} \arrow{d}{b} &C\arrow{d}{c}\\\NA' \arrow{r}[swap]{f'} & B'\arrow{r}[swap]{g'} & C' \end{tikzcd}\N\]\Nof groups with exact rows, then a 1964 theorem by Lambek says that there is a natural isomorphism \N\[\N\Lambda\colon \operatorname{Im} S\xrightarrow{~~\sim~~}\operatorname{Ker} T \N\]\Nwhich is nowadays called the \emph{Lambek isomorphism}. Using pullbacks and pushouts, the Lambek invariants can been defined in more general categories and also the Lambek isomorphism can be shown to hold under suitable conditions. In this paper the latter is established for so-called homological categories in the sense of \textit{M. Grandis} [Homological algebra. The interplay of homology with distributive lattices and orthodox semigroups. Hackensack, NJ: World Scientific (2012; Zbl 1280.18001)].