Triadic categories without localization (Q731901)

Triadic categories are close to triangulated categories, with the main difference that triangles are replaced by 4-termed complexes (= triads) \[ Tc @ >{\alpha}>>a @>{\beta}>> b @>{\gamma}>> c \] which are functorial, in contrast to the triangles of a triangulated category. Triadic categories arise, e.g., as the homotopy category \(\mathcal M(\Lambda\)-\textbf{CM}) of 2-termed complexes over the category \(\Lambda\)-\textbf{CM} of representations of a finite-dimensional algebra, a classical order, or any higher-dimensional Cohen-Macaulay order \(\Lambda\). They implicitly occurred in the author's paper on the category of lattices over a lattice-finite ring [\textit{W. Rump}, Algebr. Represent. Theory 8, No.~3, 323--345 (2005; Zbl 1094.16011)], where a characterization of the Auslander-Reiten quiver was given in terms of additive functions [conjectured by \textit{O. Iyama}, NATO Sci. Ser. II, Math. Phys. Chem. 28, 63--96 (2001; Zbl 0989.16012)], and they also were used for the construction of large lattices over classical orders. In striking contrast to triangulated categories, the triadic category \({\mathcal M}(\Lambda\)-\textbf{CM}) is exact, i.e., it has a distinguished class of short exact sequences with the usual properties. In the present paper, a new characterization of triadic categories without the use of localization is given, and a close relationship between exact sequences and triads is exhibited. Specifically, it is shown that the triadic structure of \({\mathcal M}(\Lambda\)-\textbf{CM}) can be derived from the exact structure of \({\mathcal M}({\mathcal M}(\Lambda\)-\textbf{CM})), i.e., triads can be viewed as short exact sequences of two-termed complexes.