The dual geometry of Hermitian two-point codes

In this paper, we study the algebraic geometry of any two-point code on the Hermitian curve and reveal the purely geometric nature of their dual minimum distance. We describe the minimum-weight codewords of many of their dual codes through an explicit geometric characterization of their supports. In particular, we show that they appear as sets of collinear points in many cases.     

LDPC codes from the Hermitian curve

In this paper, we study the code which has as parity check matrix the incidence matrix of the design of the Hermitian curve and its (q + 1)-secants. This code is known to have good performance with an iterative decoding algorithm, as shown by Johnson and Weller in (Proceedings at the ICEE Globe com conference, Sanfrancisco, CA, 2003). We shall prove that has a double cyclic structure and that by shortening in a suitable way it is possible to obtain new codes which have higher code-rate. We shall also present a simple way to constructing the matrix via a geometric approach.      

Topology of complete intersections

Let X _n (d) and X _n (d') be two n-dimensional complete intersections with the same total degree d. In this paper we prove that, if n is even and d has no prime factors less than , then X _n (d) and X _n (d') are homotopy equivalent if and only if they have the same Euler characteristics and signatures. This confirms a conjecture of Libgober and Wood [16]. Furthermore, we prove that, if d has no prime factors less than , then X _n (d) and X _n (d') are homeomorphic if and only if their Pontryagin classes and Euler characteristics agree. Received: September 6, 1996     

Structure of functional codes defined on non-degenerate Hermitian varieties

We study the functional codes of order h defined by G. Lachaud on a non-degenerate Hermitian variety, by exhibiting a result on divisibility for all the weights of such codes. In the case where the functional code is defined by evaluating quadratic functions on the non-degenerate Hermitian surface, we list the first five weights, describe the geometrical structure of the corresponding quadrics and give a positive answer to a conjecture formulated on this question by Edoukou (2009) [8]. The paper ends with two conjectures. The first is about the divisibility of the weights in the functional codes. The second is about the minimum distance and the distribution of the codewords of the first 2h+1 weights.     

Cayley-Bacharach and evaluation codes on complete intersections

Hansen (Appl. Algebra Eng. Comm. Comput. 14 (2003) 175) uses cohomological methods to find a lower bound for the minimum distance of an evaluation code determined by a reduced complete intersection in P². In this paper, we generalize Hansen's results from P² to P^m; we also show that the hypotheses of Hansen (2003) may be weakened. The proof is succinct and follows by combining the Cayley-Bacharach Theorem and the bounds on evaluation codes obtained in Hansen (Zero-Dimensional Schemes (Ravello, 1992), de Gruyter, Berlin, 1994, pp. 205-211).     

A construction of Gray codes inducing complete graphs

A binary Gray code G(n) of length n, is a list of all 2ⁿn-bit codewords such that successive codewords differ in only one bit position. The sequence of bit positions where the single change occurs when going to the next codeword in G(n), denoted by S(n)?s₁,s₂,…,s_2ⁿ-1, is called the transition sequence of the Gray code G(n). The graph G_G(n) induced by a Gray code G(n) has vertex set {1,2,…,n} and edge set {{s_i,s_i+1}:1?i?2ⁿ-2}. If the first and the last codeword differ only in position s_2ⁿ, the code is cyclic and we extend the graph by two more edges {s_2ⁿ-1,s_2ⁿ} and {s_2ⁿ,s₁}. We solve a problem of Wilmer and Ernst [Graphs induced by Gray codes, Discrete Math. 257 (2002) 585-598] about a construction of an n-bit Gray code inducing the complete graph K_n. The technique used to solve this problem is based on a Gray code construction due to Bakos [A. Ádám, Truth Functions and the Problem of their Realization by Two-Terminal Graphs, Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, 1968], and which is presented in D.E. Knuth [The Art of Computer Programming, vol. 4, Addison-Wesley as part of “fascicle” 2, USA, 2005].     

Minimal degree liftings in characteristic 2

In this paper we analyze liftings of hyperelliptic curves over perfect fields in characteristic 2 to curves over rings of Witt vectors. This theory can be applied to construct error-correcting codes; lifts of points with minimal degrees are likely to yield the best codes, and these are the main focus of the paper. We find upper and lower bounds for their degrees, give conditions to achieve the lower bounds and analyze the existence of lifts of the Frobenius. Finally, we exhibit explicit computations for genus 2 and show codes obtained using this theory.     

On modules of finite projective dimension over complete intersections

Recently Avramov and Miller proved that over a local complete intersection ring in characteristic 0$">, a finitely generated module has finite projective dimension if for some 0$"> and for some 0$">, being the frobenius map repeated times. They used the notion of ``complexity' and several related theorems. Here we offer a very simple proof of the above theorem without using ``complexity' at all.

     

The second generalized Hamming weight for two-point codes on a Hermitian curve

The aim of this article is the determination of the second generalized Hamming weight of any two-point code on a Hermitian curve of degree q + 1. The determination involves results of Coppens on base-point-free pencils on a plane curve. To avoid non- essential trouble, we assume that q > 4.      

Characterization of modules of finite projective dimension over complete intersections

Let be a finitely generated module over a local complete intersection of characteristic . The property that has finite projective dimension can be characterized by the vanishing of for some and for some .

     

Trace formulas for Hecke operators, Gaussian hypergeometric functions, and the modularity of a threefold

We present simple trace formulas for Hecke operators Tk(p) for all p>3 on Sk(Γ₀(3)) and Sk(Γ₀(9)), the spaces of cusp forms of weight k and levels 3 and 9. These formulas can be expressed in terms of special values of Gaussian hypergeometric series and lend themselves to recursive expressions in terms of traces of Hecke operators on spaces of lower weight. Along the way, we show how to express the traces of Frobenius of a family of elliptic curves equipped with a 3-torsion point as special values of a Gaussian hypergeometric series over Fq, when . As an application, we use these formulas to provide a simple expression for the Fourier coefficients of η⁸(3z), the unique normalized cusp form of weight 4 and level 9, and then show that the number of points on a certain threefold is expressible in terms of these coefficients.     

On the Hilbert function of Artinian local complete intersections of codimension three

In singularity theory or algebraic geometry, it is natural to investigate possible Hilbert functions for special algebras A such as local complete intersections or more generally Gorenstein algebras. The sequences that occur as the Hilbert functions of standard graded complete intersections are well understood classically thanks to Macaulay and Stanley. Very little is known in the local case except in codimension two. In this paper we characterise the Hilbert functions of quadratic Artinian complete intersections of codimension three. Interestingly we prove that a Hilbert function is admissible for such a Gorenstein ring if and only if is admissible for such a complete intersection. We provide an effective construction of a local complete intersection for a given Hilbert function. We prove that the symmetric decomposition of such a complete intersection ideal is determined by its Hilbert function.     

Toward the Determination of the Minimum Distance of Two-Point Codes on a Hermitian Curve

This is a first step toward the determination of the parameters of two-point codes on a Hermitian curve. We describe the dimension of such codes and determine the minimum distance of some two-point codes.AMS Classification: 94B27, 14H50, 11T71, 11G20Masaaki Homma - Partially supported by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (15500017), JSPS.Seon Jeong Kim - Partially supported by Korea Research Foundation Grant (KRF-2002-041-C00010).     

The Complete Determination of the Minimum Distance of Two-Point Codes on a Hermitian Curve

This is a continuation of the previous papers [3, 4, 5]. We finish determining the minimum distance of two-point codes on a Hermitian curve. Masaaki Homma: Partially supported by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (15500017), JSPS. Seon Jeong Kim: Partially supported by Korea Research Foundation Grant (KRF-2004-041-C00016)     

A note on complete intersections of height three

Let be a field of characteristic 0. If is a complete intersection generated by three homogeneous elements of degrees with , then the reduction of by a general linear form is minimally generated by three elements if and only if .

     

The Two-Point Codes on a Hermitian Curve with the Designed Minimum Distance

This is the second part of the series of papers devoted to the determination of the minimum distance of two-point codes on a Hermitian curve. We study the case where the minimum distance agrees with the designed one. In order to construct a function which gives a codeword with the designed minimum distance, we use functions arising from conics in the projective plane. AMS Classification: 94B27, 14H50, 11T71, 11G20     

On automorphisms of generalized algebraic-geometry codes

We consider a class of generalized algebraic-geometry codes based on places of the same degree of a fixed algebraic function field over a finite field . We study automorphisms of such codes which are associated with automorphisms of .