Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2013 / iii / Paper 18 / 7 / Solution

The crude monadicity theorem in its reflexive-coequalizer form says: if $F⊣G:\mathcal{D}\to \mathcal{C}$, $G$ is a conservative functor, $\mathcal{D}$ has reflexive coequalizers, and $G$ preserves them, then the Eilenberg-Moore comparison functor $K:\mathcal{D}\to {\mathcal{C}}^T$, for $T=GF$, is an equivalence of categories. Requiring all coequalizers to exist and be preserved is a stronger sufficient form.

For an algebra $(A,a)$, form in $\mathcal{D}$ the coequalizerThe pair is a reflexive pair with common section $F{\eta }_A$: both composites are the identity by the algebra unit law and the triangle identity. An arrow $u:FA\to B$ transposes to $v=Gu{\eta }_A:A\to GB$. The two composites $uFa$ and $u{\epsilon }_{FA}$ transpose to $va$ and $G{\epsilon }_{B}Tv$, respectively. Indeed the latter transpose is $Gu{\mu }_A{\eta }_{TA}=Gu$, while $G{\epsilon }_{B}Tv=Gu{\mu }_{A}T{\eta }_A=Gu$ by counit naturality. Thus $u$ equalizes the pair exactly when $v$ is an monad algebra morphism $(A,a)\to K(B)$. The coequalizer property gives natural bijectionsThese define $L$ on arrows by uniqueness, so $L⊣K$. Its unit has underlying arrow $\beta =Gq{\eta }_A:A\to GL(A,a)$.

By preservation, $Gq$ coequalizes $Ta$ and ${\mu }_A$ in $\mathcal{C}$. The action $a:TA\to A$ is a split coequalizer of that pair: take $s={\eta }_A$ and $t={\eta }_{TA}$, with ${\mu }_{A}t=1_{TA}$ and $Tat={\eta }_{A}a$. Thus there is a unique isomorphism $\alpha :GL(A,a)\to A$ with $\alpha Gq=a$. We have $\alpha \beta =a{\eta }_A=1_A$. AlsoConsequently $\beta \alpha Gq=Gq$, and epimorphic cancellation gives $\beta \alpha =1$. The adjunction unit $\beta$ is an monad algebra morphism; its invertible underlying arrow has an algebra-morphism inverse. Thus the unit of $L⊣K$ is an isomorphism.

For its counit $c_B:LK(B)\to B$, the triangle identity gives $K(c_B){\beta }_{K(B)}=1_{K(B)}$. Hence $K(c_B)$, and therefore $G(c_B)$, is an isomorphism. Since $G$ is a conservative functor, $c_B$ is an isomorphism too. Both unit and counit of $L⊣K$ are invertible, which proves the claimed equivalence. This proof uses only reflexive coequalizers in $\mathcal{D}$ and split coequalizers in $\mathcal{C}$.