nLab
model structure on an over category

Definition

Proposition

For $C$ a model category and $X \in C$ an object, the over category $C/X$ as well as the undercategory $X/C$ inherit themselves structures of model categories whose fibrations, cofibrations and weak equivalences are precisely the morphism that become fibrations, cofibrations and weak equivalences in $C$ under the forgetful functor $C/X \to C$ or $X/C \to C$.

Properties

Cofibrant generation, properness, combinatoriality

Proposition

If $\mathcal{C}$ is

• a cofibrantly generated model category

• or a proper model category

• or a cellular model category

then so are $\mathcal{C}_{/X}$ and $\mathcal{C}^{X/}$.

More in detail, if $I,J \subset Mor(\mathcal{C})$ are the classes of generating cofibrations and of generating acylic cofibrations of $\mathcal{C}$, respectively, then

• the generating (acyclic) cofibrations of $\mathcal{C}^{X/}$ are the image under $X \sqcup(-)$ of those of $\mathcal{C}$.

This is spelled out in (Hirschhorn 05).

Proposition

If $\mathcal{C}$ is a combinatorial model category, then so is $\mathcal{C}_{/X}$.

Proof

By basic properties of locally presentable categories they are stable under slicing. Hence with $\mathcal{C}$ locally presentable also $\mathcal{C}_{/X}$ is, and by prop. 2 with $\mathcal{C}$ cofibrantly generated also $\mathcal{C}_{/X}$ is.

Derived hom-spaces

Proposition

If $C$ is a simplicial model category and $X \in C$ is fibrant, then the overcategory $C/X$ with the above slice model structure is a presentation of the over-(∞,1)-category $C^\circ / X$: we have an equivalence of (∞,1)-categories

$$(C/X)^\circ \simeq C^\circ / X \,.$$

Proof

It is clear that we have an essentially surjective (∞,1)-functor $C^\circ/X \to (C/X)^\circ$. What has to be shown is that this is a full and faithful (∞,1)-functor in that it is an equivalence on all hom-∞-groupoids $C^\circ/X(a,b) \simeq (C/X)^\circ(a,b)$.

To see this, notice that the hom-space in an over-(∞,1)-category $C^\circ/X$ between objects $a : A \to X$ and $b : B \to X$ is given (as discussed there) by the (∞,1)-pullback

$$\array{ C^\circ/X(A \stackrel{a}{\to} X, B \stackrel{b}{\to} X) &\to& C^\circ(A,B) \\ \downarrow && \downarrow^{\mathrlap{b_*}} \\ {*} &\stackrel{a}{\to}& C^\circ(A,X) }$$

in ∞Grpd.

Let $A \in C$ be a cofibrant representative and $b : B \to X$ be a fibration representative in $C$ (which always exists) of the objects of these names in $C^\circ$, respectively. In terms of these we have a cofibration

$$\array{ \emptyset &&\hookrightarrow&& A \\ & \searrow && \swarrow_{\mathrlap{a}} \\ && X }$$

in $C/X$, exhibiting $a$ as a cofibrant object of $C/X$; and a fibration

$$\array{ B &&\stackrel{b}{\to}&& X \\ & {}_{\mathllap{b}}\searrow && \swarrow_{\mathrlap{Id}} \\ && X }$$

in $C/X$, exhibiting $b$ as a fibrant object in $C/X$.

Moreover, the diagram in sSet given by

$$\array{ C/X(a, b) &\to& C(A,B) \\ \downarrow && \downarrow^{\mathrlap{b_*}} \\ {*} &\stackrel{a}{\to}& C(A,X) }$$

is

1. a pullback diagram in sSet (by the definition of morphism in an ordinary overcategory);

2. a homotopy pullback in the model structure on simplicial sets, because by the axioms on the sSet${}_{Quillen}$ enriched model category $C$ and the above (co)fibrancy assumptions, all objects are Kan complexes and the right vertical morphism is a Kan fibration.

3. has in the top left the correct derived hom-space in $C/X$ (since $a$ is cofibrant and $b$ fibrant).

This means that this correct hom-space $C/X(a,b) \simeq (C/X)^\circ(a,b) \in sSet$ is indeed a model for $C^\circ/X(a,b) \in \infty Grpd$.

Examples

• the classical model structure on pointed topological spaces is the model structure on the undercategory under the point of the classical model structure on topological spaces.

Related concepts

• over-category

  • slice category

  • under category

  • over topos

• over (∞,1)-category,

  • model structure on an over-category

  • over-(∞,1)-topos

• opposite model structure

References

• Philip Hirschhorn, Overcategories and undercategories of model categories, 2005 (pdf)