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Higher-dimensional crossed modules and the homotopy groups of $$(n+1)$$- ads. (English) Zbl 0622.55010
The higher dimensional crossed modules of the title are the crossed n- cubes of groups which are defined in section 1. They are essentially contravariant functors M from the set of subsets of $$<n>=\{1,2,...,n\}$$ to the category of groups together with functions $$h: M_ A\times M_ B\to M_{A\cup B}$$ $$(A,B\subseteq <n>)$$ satisfying eleven axioms closely related to commutator identities. In particular, crossed n-cubes of groups are groups for $$n=0$$; crossed modules for $$n=1$$; and are for $$n=2$$ the crossed squares of D. Guin-Waléry and J.-L. Loday [Lect. Notes Math. 854, 179-216 (1981; Zbl 0461.18007)].
J.-L. Loday [J. Pure Appl. Algebra 24, 179-202 (1982; Zbl 0491.55004)] defines the notion of cat$${}^ n$$-group. Succintly, these are groups with n compatible category structures (or, equivalently, $$(n+1)$$-fold groupoids such that the last structure is a group). Their importance is Loday’s result (loc.cit.) that $$cat^ n$$-groups model all homotopy $$(n+1)$$-types (see also a correction of one lemma in the second author’s paper [J. Lond. Math. Soc., II. Ser. 34, 169-176 (1986; Zbl 0576.55007)].
Loday (loc.cit.) exposes also the joint result with Guin-Waléry that $$cat^ 2$$-groups are equivalent to crossed squares. The present paper proves the important result that $$cat^ n$$-groups are equivalent to crossed n-cubes of groups. Part of the proof involves a generalization of a theorem of W. End [J. Pure Appl. Algebra 18, 111-123 (1980; Zbl 0443.55008)] on groups with n commuting projections.
The generalized Van Kampen Theorem (GVKT) proved by the reviewer and J.-L. Loday [Topology 26, 311-335 (1987; see the preceding review)] involves Loday’s fundamental $$cat^ n$$-group functor from n-cubes of spaces to $$cat^ n$$-groups, and makes colimits of $$cat^ n$$-groups useful for applications in homotopy theory. The reviewer and J.-L. Loday [Proc. Lond. Math. Soc., III. Ser. 54, 176-192 (1987; Zbl 0584.55012)] define universal $$cat^ n$$-groups and apply them with the GVKT to generalize the Blakers-Massey result on the first nonvanishing group of a triad. The current paper defines r-universal crossed n-cubes of groups, and gives some computations of the top group $$M_{<n>}$$ of such a crossed n-cube. Further, the GVKT is applied to generalize a result of M. G. Barratt and J. H. C. Whitehead [ibid. 6, 417- 439 (1956; Zbl 0072.180)] on the first nonvanishing homotopy group of an $$(n+1)$$-ad. In particular the formalism allows for a presentation of this group in the cases when it may be non-abelian, and when some of the spaces are not simply connected. The main point is that the GVKT specifies an appropriate universal property, and that the axioms for a crossed n-cube dictate further simplifications of the presentation.
Reviewer: R.Brown

##### MSC:
 55Q05 Homotopy groups, general; sets of homotopy classes 20F12 Commutator calculus 18G55 Nonabelian homotopical algebra (MSC2010)
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##### References:
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