Triangle identities for an adjunction (${\epsilon }_{F}F\eta =1_F,G\epsilon {\eta }_G=1_G$)

For $F⊣G$ with adjunction unit $\eta$ and adjunction counit $\epsilon$, the identities are ${\epsilon }_{FC}F{\eta }_C=1_{FC}$ and $G{\epsilon }_D{\eta }_{GD}=1_{GD}$. They make the transpose maps $f\mapsto Gf\eta$ and $g\mapsto \epsilon Fg$ inverse.

Let $F:\mathcal{C}\to \mathcal{D}$, $G:\mathcal{D}\to \mathcal{C}$, $\eta :1\Rightarrow GF$ and $\epsilon :FG\Rightarrow 1$ be natural transformations. If $G\epsilon {\eta }_G=1_G$, then $e={\epsilon }_{F}F\eta :F\Rightarrow F$ is an idempotent morphism in the functor category. Naturality implies $Ge\eta =\eta$ and $\epsilon e_G=\epsilon$; these absorption identities prove $e^2=e$. The omitted triangle measures exactly whether $e=1_F$.

The one-triangle adjunction idempotent splits if and only if $G$ has a left adjoint. From a splitting $F\stackrel{r}{\to }H\stackrel{s}{\to }F$, define the new unit $Gr\eta$ and counit $\epsilon s_G$; the absorption identities imply both triangle identities for an adjunction. Conversely, for $H⊣G$ with unit $\psi :1\Rightarrow GH$ and counit $\phi :HG\Rightarrow 1$, the splitting maps are $r={\epsilon }_{H}F\psi$ and $s={\phi }_{F}H\eta$. Their composites are $rs=1_H$ and $sr=e$.