$\let\op=\operatorname$In $\op{Set}$, we have an $(\op{Epi},\op{Mono})$ [orthogonal factorization system](https://ncatlab.org/nlab/show/orthogonal+factorization+system). Strikingly, if we reverse the roles, we get the no-less-important $(\op{Mono},\op{Epi})$ [*weak* factorization system](https://ncatlab.org/nlab/show/weak+factorization+system).


In the $\infty$-category $\op{Spaces}$ of spaces, the most direct analog of the $(\op{Epi},\op{Mono})$ orthogonal factorization system on $\op{Set}$ is the $(\text{Effective Epi}, \op{Mono})$ orthogonal factorization system, but this is just the $(-1)$th in a whole tower: for each $n \in \mathbb Z\_{\geq -2}$, we have an $(\text{$n$-connected}, \text{$n$-truncated})$ factorization system [1].


It seems that, just as in the analogous case in $\op{Set}$, one can take the *left* half of each these orthogonal factorization systems, and view it as the *right* half of a weak factorization system $(\mathcal L\_n, \text{$n$-connected})$ [2]. To see this, one shows that the $n$-connected maps are precisely the maps which are weakly right orthogonal to the maps $\{S^k \to 1 \mid -1 \leq k \leq n\}$, and applies the small object argument to obtain factorizations.


In $\op{Set}$, we have the cute fact that the resulting weak factorization system $(\op{Mono},\op{Epi})$ is just the original orthogonal factorization system $(\op{Epi},\op{Mono})$ with the left and right classes swapped. This is not the case in $\op{Spaces}$, even when $n=-1$: a map $A \xrightarrow i B$ of spaces is weakly left orthogonal to the effective epimorphisms if and only if it is a coproduct inclusion $A \to A \amalg S$ where $S$ is *discrete*; this is more restrictive than being a monomorphism [3]. I don't know how to characterize the left class $\mathcal L\_n$ for $n\geq 0$ as cleanly. In fact, unlike the case in $\op{Set}$, I don't think we have either containment $\mathcal L\_n \subseteq \text{$n$-truncated}$ or $\text{$n$-truncated} \subseteq \mathcal L\_n$ in general. This leads to my



> 
> **Questions:** Let $n \in \mathbb Z\_{\geq -2}$.
> 
> 
> 1. Is there a good characterization of the class of maps $\mathcal L\_n$, i.e., the maps of spaces which are weakly left orthogonal to the $n$-connected maps?
> 2. What would be a good name for the maps of $\mathcal L\_n$?
> 
> 
> 


Note that by the small object argument, the maps of $\mathcal L\_n$ are precisely the retracts of transfinite composites of cobase-changes of coproducts of the maps $\{S^k \to 1 \mid -1 \leq k \leq n\}$. So in some sense this is a quite explicit class of maps. By "characterization" I suppose I mean something which can be "checked directly" without having to find all the data of a construction of this form.




---


[1] Here a map is said to be $n$-truncated or $n$-connected if its fibers are all so. This convention is off by one from the most classical convention.


[2] Some care should be taken with the definition of a weak factorization system $\infty$-categorically: say that a morphism $A \xrightarrow i B$ is *weakly orthogonal* to a morphism $X \xrightarrow p Y$ if the map $\op{Hom}(B,X) \to \op{Hom}(B,Y) \times\_{\op{Hom}(A,Y)} \op{Hom}(A,X)$ is an effective epimorphism. Spelled out, this says that if we have a commutative square—i.e., morphisms $A \xrightarrow u X$, $B \xrightarrow v Y$ along with a homotopy $\gamma: pu \sim vi$, then there exists a lift, i.e., $B \xrightarrow w X$ and homotopies $\alpha: wi \sim u$, $\beta: pw \sim v$ *and* (here's the only subtle part) a homotopy of homotopies from the composite $\beta \ast \alpha$ to $\gamma$. Then a *weak factorization system* is, as usual, a pair of classes of morphisms $(\mathcal L, \mathcal R)$ which are complements to each other with respect to weak orthogonality, such that every morphism admits a factorization as a morphism in $\mathcal L$ followed by a morphism in $\mathcal R$.


[3] Recall that a monomorphism of spaces is a coproduct inclusion $A \to A \amalg S$ where $S$ may be an arbitrary space.



What do you call a map of spaces which is weakly left orthogonal to all $n$-connected maps?
This question was answered in the comments $\mathcal L\_n$ comprises those maps which are retracts of relative $\leq n+1$-dimensional relative cell complexes.


Tom Goodwillie explains in the comments a cohomological characterization of $\mathcal L\_n$ for sufficiently large $n$.


