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Let $A\to X$ be a (Hurewicz) cofibration of path-connected topological spaces. Then we have a long homotopy sequence $$ \dots\to \pi_i(A)\to \pi_i(X)\to \pi_i(X,A)\to \dots; $$ here we fix a base point inside $A$. It maps into the homotopy sequence for the pair $(SP(X),SP(A))$ for infinite symmetric powers, does it? Can one apply the Dold-Thom theorem here to obtain the relative Hurewicz maps $\pi_i(X,A)\to H_i(X,A)$ along with the morphism between the corresponding exact sequences?

My doubts are caused by the book "Algebraic Topology from a Homotopical Viewpoint" by Marcelo Aguilar, Samuel Gitler, and Carlos Prieto where homology is defined via the Dold-Thom theorem but a different definition of relative Hurewicz maps is used. Is "my" idea fine; is it discussed somewhere?

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In the absolute case, $\pi_*(X) \rightarrow \pi_*(SP(X))$ can be identified with the Hurewicz map because one can explicitly compute $\mathbb{Z}=\pi_n(S^n) \rightarrow \pi_n(SP(S^n))=\mathbb{Z}$ and see it is an isomorphism (one way is to examine a cell structure). In the relative case, one can consider the commutative diagram

$\require{AMScd}$ \begin{CD} \pi_n(D^{n+1},S^n) @>{\partial}>> \pi_n(S^n)\\ @VVV @VVV\\ \pi_n(SP(D^{n+1}),SP(S^n)) @>{\partial }>> \pi_n(SP(S^n)) \end{CD}

By the previous analyis, the right hand map is an isomorphism, and both the top and bottom maps must be isomorphisms since they are sandwiched between contractible spaces, so we deduce that the left hand map is an isomorphism. Since relative homotopy groups are represent by $(D^{n+1},S^n)$, we deduce that the map $\pi_n(X,A) \rightarrow \pi_n(SP(X),SP(A))$ is $\pm$ the Hurewicz map (simply because it is an isomorphism on representing object). To eliminate the negative possibility, one can just examine the case $\pi_n(S^n) \rightarrow \pi_n(SP(S^n))$ a little more closely.

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  • $\begingroup$ But is there an isomorphism between $\pi_n(SP(D^{n+1}),SP(S^n))$ and $H_n(D^{n+1},S^n)$ compatible with the rest? $\endgroup$ Commented Apr 24, 2022 at 14:26
  • $\begingroup$ @მამუკაჯიბლაძე Such a thing is constructed in the proof of the Dold-Thom theorem. $\endgroup$ Commented Apr 24, 2022 at 14:47
  • $\begingroup$ Or perhaps more correct to say it is a corollary of the proof; one shows that $\pi_*(SP(-),SP(-))$ forms an ordinary homology theory, so one automatically gets both absolute and relative isomorphisms. $\endgroup$ Commented Apr 24, 2022 at 14:55
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    $\begingroup$ Oh sorry yes of course this suffices - for any fibration $F\to E\to B$ there are natural isomorphisms $\pi_*(E,F)\cong\pi_*(B)$... $\endgroup$ Commented Apr 24, 2022 at 15:12
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    $\begingroup$ @MikhailBondarko Well I'd say the argument is reasonably complete. One just sticks in the middle the long exact sequence of homotopy groups of symmetric powers, and at some point applies the five lemma (more or less the way it is done in the original Dold-Thom paper, I guess) $\endgroup$ Commented Apr 25, 2022 at 16:57

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