Relative semi-abelian categories (Q835751)

The author studies a notion of relative semi-abelian category \(({\mathcal C},{\mathcal E})\) where \({\mathcal C}\) is a pointed category with finite limits and cokernels and \({\mathcal E}\) is a class of regular epimorphisms in \({\mathcal C}\) containing all isomorphisms. This notion extends the absolute case introduced by \textit{G. Janelidze, L. Márki} and \textit{W. Tholen} [J. Pure Appl. Algebra 168, 367--386 (2002; Zbl 0993.18008)] which is just the case of \({\mathcal E}\) being the class of all regular epimorphisms in \({\mathcal C}\), and the idea of such a relativization goes back to the old notion of quasi-abelian category by \textit{N. Yoneda}. Semi-abelian categories were characterized by two different but equivalent sets of axioms (the so-called `old' and `new' axioms). Relative versions of these two systems of axioms are also considered in the paper and, by developing the relative calculus of \({\mathcal E}\)-relations, it is proven that they are equivalent.