Abstract sectional category (Q690858)

Let \(p: E\to B\) be a fibration. \textit{A. S. Shvarts} [Transl., Ser. 2, Am. Math. Soc. 55, 49--140 (1966); translation from Tr. Moskov. Mat. Obshch. 10, 217--272 (1961); 11, 99--126 (1962; Zbl 0178.26202)] defined the sectional category of \(p\), denoted \(\mathrm{sect}(p)\), to be the least integer \(n\) such that there exists an open cover \(U_0, \ldots, U_n\) of \(B\) with the property that every \(U_i\) has a local section. This is a Lusternik--Schnirelmann (LS) type invariant, and it bounds the LS category from below. The authors develop a more general and axiomatic framework for the concept of sectional category. Inspired by the model category point of view adopted by \textit{J-P. Doeraene} [J. Pure Appl. Algebra, 84, No. 3, 215--261 (1993; Zbl 0777.55007)] to study LS category, the authors work in a \(J\)-category and axiomatically define sectional category. Both Ganea and Whitehead type definitions of sectional category are given, and they are shown to be equivalent in a \(J\)-category after several preliminary lemmas. One of the main results relates the axiomatic sectional category to the axiomatic LS category, namely that the former bounds below the latter. The authors also show how Farber's topological complexity [\textit{M. Farber}, Discrete Comput. Geom. 29, No. 2, 211--221 (2003; Zbl 1038.68130)] of a space can be defined using the axiomatic framework. The last section is devoted to a short discussion of some applications in rational homotopy theory.