A note on the five lemma (Q385605)

This paper is devoted to generalizations of the classical five lemma in an abelian category. The author proves a theorem that unifies two generalizations: the five lemma in a (modular) semi-exact category in the sense of \textit{M. Grandis} [Cah. Topologie Géom. Différ. Catégoriques 33, No. 2, 135--175 (1992; Zbl 0814.18006)], and the five lemma in a pointed regular protomodular category in the sense of \textit{D. Bourn} [Lect. Notes Math. 1488, 43--62 (1991; Zbl 0733.00009)]. The five lemma in an abelian category asserts that for any commutative diagram \[ \begin{tikzcd} A_1 \rar["a_1"]\dar["a" '] & B_1 \rar["b_1"]\dar["b" '] & C_1 \rar["c_1"]\dar["c" '] & D_1 \rar["d_1"]\dar["d"] & E_1\dar["e"]\\ A_2 \rar["a_2" '] & B_2 \rar["b_2" '] & C_2 \rar["c_2" '] & D_2 \rar["d_2" '] & E_2 \end{tikzcd} \tag{1} \] with exact rows, the following implications are true: (1) if \(a, b, d, e\) are isomorphisms, then \(c\) is an isomorphism; (2) if \(b, d\) are epimorphisms and \(e\) is a monomorphism, then \(c\) is an epimorphism; (3) if \(b, d\) are monomorphisms and \(a\) is an epimorphism, then \(c\) is a monomorphism. In order to extend the concept of an exact sequence in a category of general type, the author considers the following definition given in [\textit{Z. Janelidze}, Appl. Categ. Struct. 17, No. 4, 351--371 (2009; Zbl 1177.18002)]: A \textit{cover relation} on a category \(\mathbb C\) is a binary relation \(\sqsubset\) on the class of morphisms of \(\mathbb C\) which is defined only for those pairs of morphisms that have the same codomain and which has the following two properties: (i) if \(f\sqsubset g\) and \(h\) is composable with \(f\), then \(hf\sqsubset hg\), (ii) if \(f\sqsubset g\) and \(f\) is composable with \(e\) then \(f e\sqsubset g\). For a cover relation \(\sqsubset\) on \(\mathbb C\), a morphism \(f: X\to Y\) in \(\mathbb C\) is said to be \begin{itemize} \item[1.] a \(\sqsubset\)-covering when for any morphism \(g : Z \to Y\), we have \(g \sqsubset f\); \item[2.] a \(\sqsubset\)-null morphism when for any morphism \(g : Z \to Y\), we have \(f \sqsubset g\); \item[3.] a \(\sqsubset\)-embedding when for any two morphisms \(h : H \to X\) and \(k : K \to X\) such that \(fh \sqsubset fk\), we have \(h \sqsubset k\); in the special case when this condition is satisfied for \(k\) being a \(\sqsubset\)-null morphism, \(f\) is said to be a weak \(\sqsubset\)-embedding; \item[4.] \(\sqsubset\)-full when for any morphism \(g : Z \to Y\) such that \(g \sqsubset f\), there exists a morphism \(e : W \to X\) such that \(g \sqsubset f e\) and \(f e \sqsubset g\) (in short, \(g \cong_{\sqsubset} f e\)). \end{itemize} A category \(\mathbb C\) is called a \(\sqsubset\)-category if it is equipped with a reflexive and transitive cover relation \(\sqsubset\) satisfying the following axioms: \begin{itemize} \item[(\(C_0\))] For any object \(X\) in \(\mathbb C\) there exists a \(\sqsubset\)-null morphism with codomain \(X\). \item[(\(C_1\))] If \(f\) is a \(\sqsubset\)-null morphism then the composite \(gf\) is a \(\sqsubset\)-null morphism for any morphism \(g\) (such that the composite \(gf\) is defined). \end{itemize} In a \(\sqsubset\)-category \(\mathbb C\), \(N_{\sqsubset}\) denote the class of \(\sqsubset\)-null morphisms. Usually, the prefix \(\sqsubset\) in the term above will be dropped. In a \(\sqsubset\)-category, a diagram \[ X \overset{f}\longrightarrow Y \overset{g}\longrightarrow Z \tag{2} \] is called \textit{exact} (at \(Y\)) if for any morphism \(h: W\to Y\) in the category, we have \(gh\in N_{\sqsubset}\) if and only if \(h \sqsubset f\). In a \(\sqsubset\)-category, the diagram (2) is called \textit{homological} if for any morphism \(u: U\to Y\) such that \(gu \sqsubset gf\), we have \(u \sqsubset f\). If for any \(g\) and \(h\), the implication \(gh\in N_{\sqsubset} \Rightarrow h\sqsubset f\) is satisfied, then the diagram (2) is called \textit{weakly homological}. An \textit{exact/(weakly-)homological sequence} is defined as a diagram \[ X_0 \overset{f_0}\longrightarrow X_1 \overset{f_1}\longrightarrow \cdots \overset{f_{n+1}}\longrightarrow X_{n+2} \] which is exact/(weakly-)homological at \(X_i\) for each \(i\in \{1, \ldots, n+1\}\). Theorem 3.4 (Generalized Five Lemma) In a \(\sqsubset\)-category, consider a commutative diagram (1) with exact rows. \begin{itemize} \item[(a)] Suppose that \(d\) is full and \(c_2\) is homological. If further \(b\), \(d\) are coverings and \(e\) is a weak embedding, then \(c\) is a covering. \item[(b)] Suppose that \(b_1\) is full and \(b\) is homological. If further \(b\), \(d\) are weak embeddings and \(a\) is a covering, then \(c\) is a weak embedding. \end{itemize} Moreover, the generalized short five lemma (Theorem 3.5) is proved. Various classes of \(\sqsubset\)-categories are considered. In these \(\sqsubset\)-categories the generalized five lemma holds. \begin{itemize} \item[1.] Semi-exact categories of [Zbl 0814.18006]. A standard example of a semi-exact category is the category \(\mathbf{Set_2}\) of pairs \((X,A)\) of sets. Other examples include the categories of groups, rings, lattices, Banach spaces, and topological vector spaces. \item[2.] Pointed regular categories, and pointed regular protomodular categories in the sense of D. Bourn, among which are all abelian categories, the categories of groups, non-unitary rings, topological groups, etc. \end{itemize} A quasi-pointed regular protomodular category is an example of a \(\sqsubset\)-category, and in this case the generalized short five lemma becomes the short five lemma given in [\textit{D. Bourn}, J. Algebra 236, No. 2, 778--795 (2001; Zbl 0978.18004)].