ExplicitN-polynomials of 2-power degree over finite fields,I

For an odd prime powerq the infinite field GF(q ² )= _n0 GF (q ²ⁿ ) is explicitly presented by a sequence (f _n)₁ ofN-polynomials. This means that, for a suitably chosen initial polynomialf ₁, the defining polynomialsf _nGF(q)[x] of degrees2 ⁿ are constructed by iteration of the transformation of variablexx+1/x and have linearly independent roots over GF(q). In addition, the sequences are trace-compatible in the sense that the relative traces map the corresponding roots onto each other. In this first paper the caseq1 (mod 4) is considered and the caseq3 (mod 4) will be dealt with in a second paper. This specific construction solves a problem raised by A. Scheerhorn in [11].     

Some cyclic codes of length 2<Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis><Superscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis></Superscript>

Explicit expressions for 4n + 2 primitive idempotents in the semi-simple group ring $R_{2p^{n}}\equiv \frac{GF(q)[x]}{p and q are distinct odd primes; n ≥ 1 is an integer and q has order \fracf(2pⁿ)2{\frac{\phi(2p^{n})}{2}} modulo 2p ⁿ . The generator polynomials, the dimension, the minimum distance of the minimal cyclic codes of length 2p ⁿ generated by these 4n + 2 primitive idempotents are discussed. For n = 1, the properties of some (2p, p) cyclic codes, containing the above minimal cyclic codes are analyzed in particular. The minimum weight of some subset of each of these (2p, p) codes are observed to satisfy a square root bound.     

Flag transitive planes of orderq n with a long cyclel ∞ as a collineation

Baker and Ebert [1] presented a method for constructing all flag transitive affine planes of orderq ² havingGF(q) in their kernels for any odd prime powerq. Kantor [6; 7; 8] constructed many classes of nondesarguesian flag transitive affine planes of even order, each admitting a collineation, transitively permuting the points at infinity. In this paper, two classes of non-desarguesian flag transitive affine planes of odd order are constructed. One is a class of planes of orderq ⁿ , whereq is an odd prime power andn 3 such thatq ⁿ 1 (mod 4), havingGF(q) in their kernels. The other is a class of planes of orderq ⁿ , whereq is an odd prime power andn 2 such thatq ⁿ 1 (mod 4), havingGF(q) in their kernels. Since each plane of the former class is of odd dimension over its kernel, it is not isomorphic to any plane constructed by Baker and Ebert [1]. The former class contains a flag transitive affine plane of order 27 constructed by Kuppuswamy Rao and Narayana Rao [9]. Any plane of the latter class of orderq ⁿ such thatn 1 (mod 2), is not isomorphic to any plane constructed by Baker ad Ebert [1].The author is grateful to the referee for many helpful comments.     

Optimal pseudo-cyclic codes and caps in PG (3,q)

Existence and uniqueness of pseudo-cyclic [q ²+1,q ²–3, 4]-codes over GF(q) are proved. Elliptic quadrics are characterized as those (q ²+1)-caps in PG(3,q) whose corresponding [q ²+1,q ²–3, 4]-codes are pseudo-cyclic.     

On the sharpness of a theorem of B. segre

The theorem of B. Segre mentioned in the title states that a complete arc of PG(2,q),q even which is not a hyperoval consists of at mostq−√q+1 points. In the first part of our paper we prove this theorem to be sharp forq=s ² by constructing completeq−√q+1-arcs. Our construction is based on the cyclic partition of PG(2,q) into disjoint Baer-subplanes. (See Bruck [1]). In his paper [5] Kestenband constructed a class of (q−√q+1)-arcs but he did not prove their completeness. In the second part of our paper we discuss the connections between Kestenband’s and our constructions. We prove that these constructions result in isomorphic (q−√q+1)-arcs. The proof of this isomorphism is based on the existence of a traceorthogonal normal basis in GF(q ³) over GF(q), and on a representation of GF(q)³ in GF(q ³)³ indicated in Jamison [4].     

Tables on fifth power residuacity

In this paper 2 ^p 1 (modq),q=10p+1,p 3 (mod 4),p andq prime, is expressed uniquely (except for changes in sign and interchange ofx, y) in the formq=w ²+25 (x ²+y ²)/2+125z ², 4wz=y ²–x ²–4xy, withw, x, y, z odd, forp<10⁵. For 10⁵<p<10⁶, allp such that 2 ^p 1 (mod 10p + 1),p 3 (mod 4),p and 10p + 1 prime, are listed.     

2-Designs overGF(q)

We give a construction of a series of 2-(n, 3,q ²+q+1;q) designs of vector spaces over a finite fieldGF(q) of odd characteristic. These designs correspond to those constructed by Thomas and the author for even characteristic. As a natural generalization we give a collection ofm-dimensional subspaces which possibly become a 2-(n, m, λ; q) design.     

On a Criterion for Catalan's Conjecture

We give a new proof of a theorem of P. Mihailescu which states that the equation x ^p – y ^q = 1 is unsolvable with x, y integral and p, q odd primes, unless the congruences p ^q p (mod q ²) and q ^p q (mod p ²) hold.     

Existence of (q,k, 1) difference families with q a prime power and k = 4, 5

The existence of a (q, k, 1) difference family in GF(q) has been completely solved for k = 3. For k = 4, 5 partial results have been given by Bose, Wilson, and Buratti. In this article, we continue the investigation and show that the necessary condition for the existence of a (q, k, 1) difference family in GF(q), i.e., q ≡ 1 (mod k(k − 1)) is also sufficient for k = 4, 5. For general k, Wilson's bound shows that a (q, k, 1) difference family in GF(q) exists whenever q ≡ 1 (mod k(k − 1)) and q > [k(k − 1)/2]^k(k−1). An improved bound on q is also presented. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Combin Designs 7: 21–30, 1999     

Combinatorial geometries representable over GF(3) and GF(q). II. Dowling geometries

Letq be an odd prime power not divisible by 3. In Part I of this series, it was shown that the number of points in a rank-n combinatorial geometry (or simple matroid) representable over GF(3) and GF(q) is at mostn ². In this paper, we show that, with the exception ofn = 3, a rank-n geometry that is representable over GF(3) and GF(q) and contains exactlyn ² points is isomorphic to the rank-n Dowling geometry based on the multiplicative group of GF(3).This research was partially supported by the National Science Foundation under Grants DMS-8521826 and DMS-8500494.     

Improving two theorems of bose on difference families

In [2] R. C. Bose gives a sufficient condition for the existence of a (q, 5, 1) difference family in (GF(q), +)—where q ≡ 1 mod 20 is a prime power — with the property that every base block is a coset of the 5th roots of unity. Similarly he gives a sufficient condition for the existence of a (q, 4, 1) difference family in (GF(q, +)—where q ≡ 1 mod 12 is a prime power — with the property that every base block is the union of a coset of the 3rd roots of unity with zero. In this article we replace the mentioned sufficient conditions with necessary and sufficient ones. As a consequence, we obtain new infinite classes of simple difference families and hence new Steiner 2-designs with block sizes 4 and 5. In particular, we get a (p^4α, 5, 1)-DF for any odd prime p ≡ 2, 3 (mod 5), and a (p^2α, 4, 1)-DF for any odd prime p ≡ 2 (mod 3). © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

On a relation between a cyclic relative difference set associated with the quadratic extensions of a finite field and the Szekeres difference sets

Letq 3 (mod 4) be a prime power and put . We consider a cyclic relative difference set with parametersq ²–1,q, 1,q–1 associated with the quadratic extension GF(q²)/GF((q). The even part and the odd part of the cyclic relative difference set taken modulon are supplementary difference sets. Moreover it turns out that their complementary subsets are identical with the Szekeres difference sets. This result clarifies the true nature of the Szekeres difference sets. We prove these results by using the theory of the relative Gauss sums.     

Cyclic Designs with Block Size 4 and Related Optimal Optical Orthogonal Codes

We prove the existence of a cyclic (4p, 4, 1)-BIBD—and hence, equivalently, that of a cyclic (4, 1)-GDD of type 4 ^p —for any prime such that (p–1)/6 has a prime factor q not greater than 19. This was known only for q=2, i.e., for . In this case an explicit construction was given for . Here, such an explicit construction is also realized for .We also give a strong indication about the existence of a cyclic (4p 4, 1)-BIBD for any prime , p>7. The existence is guaranteed for p>(2q ³–3q ²+1)²+3q ² where q is the least prime factor of (p–1)/6.Finally, we prove, giving explicit constructions, the existence of a cyclic (4, 1)-GDD of type 6 ^p for any prime p>5 and the existence of a cyclic (4, 1)-GDD of type 8 ^p for any prime . The result on GDD's with group size 6 was already known but our proof is new and very easy.All the above results may be translated in terms of optimal optical orthogonal codes of weight four with =1.     

Some Multiply Derived Translation Planes with SL(2,5) as an Inherited Collineation Group in the Translation Complement

Finite translation planes having a collineation group isomorphic to SL(2,5) occur in many investigations on minimal normal non-solvable subgroups of linear translation complements. In this paper, we are looking for multiply derived translation planes of the desarguesian plane which have an inherited linear collineation group isomorphic to SL(2,5). The Hall plane and some of the planes discovered by Prohaska [10], see also [1], are translation planes of this kind of order q ²;, provided that q is odd and either q ²; 1 mod 5 or q is a power of 5. In this paper the case q ² -1 mod 5 is considered and some examples are constructed under the further hypothesis that either q 2 mod 3, or q 1 mod 3 and q 1 mod 4, or q -1 mod 4, 3 q and q 3,5 or 6 mod 7. One might expect that examples exist for each odd prime power q. But this is not always true according to Theorem 2.     

Combinatorial geometries representable over GF(3) and GF(q). I. The number of points

Letq be a prime power not divisible by 3. We show that the number of points (or rank-1 flats) in a combinatorial geometry (or simple matroid) of rankn representable over GF(3) and GF(q) is at mostn ². Whenq is odd, this bound is sharp and is attained by the Dowling geometries over the cyclic group of order 2.This research was partially supported by National Science Foundation Grant DMS-8521826 and a North Texas State University Faculty Research Grant.     

Ideal class groups and their subgroups of real quadratic fields

A necessary and sufficient condition is given for the ideal class group H(m) of a real quadratic field Q (√m) to contain a cyclic subgroup of ordern. Some criteria satisfying the condition are also obtained. And eight types of such fields are proved to have this property, e.g. fields withm=(z ⁿ +t−1)²+4t(witht|z ⁿ −1), which contains the well-known fields withm=4z ⁿ +1 andm=4z ²ⁿ +4 as special cases. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.     

Lower bounds for the cardinality of minimal blocking sets in projective spaces

In this paper new lower bounds for the cardinality of minimal m-blocking sets are determined. Let r₂(q) be the number such that q+r₂(q)+1 is the cardinality of the smallest non-trivial line-blocking set in a plane of order q. If B is a minimal m-blocking set in PG(n,q) that contains at most q^m+q^m−1+…+q+1+r₂(q)·(∑_i=2m−n′^m−1qⁱ) points for an integer n′ satisfying mn′2m, then the dimension of B is at most n′. If the dimension of B is n′, then the following holds. The cardinality of B equals q^m+q^m−1+…+q+1+r₂(q)(∑_i=2m−n′^m−1qⁱ). For n′=m the set B is an m-dimensional subspace and for n′=m+1 the set B is a cone with an (m−2)-dimensional vertex over a non-trivial line-blocking set of cardinality q+r₂(q)+1 in a plane skew to the vertex. This result is due to Heim (Mitt. Math. Semin. Giessen 226 (1996), 4–82). For n′>m+1 and q not a prime the number q is a square and for q16 the set B is a Baer cone. If q is odd and |B|<q^m+q^m−1+…+q+1+r₂(q)(q^m−1+q^m−2), it follows from this result that the subspace generated by B has dimension at most m+1. Furthermore we prove that in this case, if , then B is an m-dimensional subspace or a cone with an (m−2)-dimensional vertex over a non-trivial line-blocking set of cardinality q+r₂(q)+1 in a plane skew to the vertex. For q=p^3h, p7 and q not a square we show this assertion for |B|q^m+q^m−1+…+q+1+q^2/3·(q^m−1+…+1).     

On a Class of Symmetric Balanced Generalized Weighing Matrices

Let q be a prime power and m a positive integer. A construction method is given to multiply the parametrs of an -circulant BGW(v=1+q+q ₂+·+q ^m , q ^m , q ^m –q ^m–1) over the cyclic group C _n of order n with (q–1)/n being an even integer, by the parameters of a symmetric BGW(1+q ^m+1, q ^m+1, q ^m+1–q ^m ) with zero diagonal over a cyclic group C _vn to generate a symmetric BGW(1+q+·+q ^2m+1,q ^2m+1,q ^2m+1–q ^2m) with zero diagonal, over the cyclic group C _n . Applications include two new infinite classes of strongly regular graphs with parametersSRG(36(1+25+·+25^2m+1),15(25)^2m+1,6(25)^2m+1,6(25)^2m+1), and SRG(36(1+49+·+49^2m+1),21(49)^2m+1,12(49)^2m+1,12(49)^2m+1).     

On explicit factors of cyclotomic polynomials over finite fields

We study the explicit factorization of 2 ⁿ r-th cyclotomic polynomials over finite field \mathbbF_q{\mathbb{F}_q} where q, r are odd with (r, q) = 1. We show that all irreducible factors of 2 ⁿ r-th cyclotomic polynomials can be obtained easily from irreducible factors of cyclotomic polynomials of small orders. In particular, we obtain the explicit factorization of 2 ⁿ 5-th cyclotomic polynomials over finite fields and construct several classes of irreducible polynomials of degree 2 ^n–2 with fewer than 5 terms.     

Block Primitive 2- (v, k, 1) Designs Admitting a Ree Simple Group

In this paper, we prove that if D is a 2- (v, k, 1) design withG  ≤  Aut(D) block primitive and soc (G)  =  ²G₂(q) then D is a Ree unital with parameters 2- (q³ +  1, q +  1, 1).