The Stacks project

Definition 12.21.1. Let $\mathcal{A}$ be an abelian category.

1. An exact couple is a datum $(A, E, \alpha , f, g)$ where $A$, $E$ are objects of $\mathcal{A}$ and $\alpha $, $f$, $g$ are morphisms as in the following diagram

   \[ \xymatrix{ A \ar[rr]_{\alpha } & & A \ar[ld]^ g \\ & E \ar[lu]^ f & } \]

   with the property that the kernel of each arrow is the image of its predecessor. So $\mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(\alpha ) = \mathop{\mathrm{Im}}(f)$, $\mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(f) = \mathop{\mathrm{Im}}(g)$, and $\mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(g) = \mathop{\mathrm{Im}}(\alpha )$.

2. A morphism of exact couples $t : (A, E, \alpha , f, g) \to (A', E', \alpha ', f', g')$ is given by morphisms $t_ A : A \to A'$ and $t_ E : E \to E'$ such that $\alpha ' \circ t_ A = t_ A \circ \alpha $, $f' \circ t_ E = t_ A \circ f$, and $g' \circ t_ A = t_ E \circ g$.