Reed-Muller codes and Barnes-Wall lattices: Generalized multilevel constructions and representation over GF(2<Superscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">q</Emphasis></Superscript>)

Generalized multilevel constructions for binary RM(r,m) codes using projections onto GF(2 ^q ) are presented. These constructions exploit component codes over GF(2), GF(4),..., GF(2 ^q ) that are based on shorter Reed-Muller codes and set partitioning using partition chains of length-2 ^l codes. Using these constructions we derive multilevel constructions for the Barnes-Wall Λ(r,m) family of lattices which also use component codes over GF(2), GF(4),..., GF(2 ^q ) and set partitioning based on partition chains of length-2 ^l lattices. These constructions of Reed-Muller codes and Barnes-Wall lattices are readily applicable for their efficient decoding.      

Recursive constructions of -polynomials over

This paper presents procedures for constructing irreducible polynomials over GF(2^s) with linearly independent roots (or normal polynomials or N-polynomials). For a suitably chosen initial N-polynomial F₀(x)GF(2^s) of degree n, polynomials F_k(x)GF(2^s) of degrees n2^k are constructed by iteratively applying the transformation x→x+x^-1, and their roots are shown to form a normal basis of GF(2^sn2k) over GF(2^s). In addition, the sequences are shown to be trace compatible, i.e., the trace map T_{GF(2^sn2k+1)/GF(2^sn2k)} fromGF(2^sn2k+1) onto GF(2^sn2k) maps the roots of F_k+1(x) onto those of F_k(x).     

Quadratic Double Circulant Codes over Fields

A generalization of the Pless symmetry codes to different fields is presented. In particular new infinite families of self-dual codes over GF(4), GF(5), GF(7), and GF(9) are introduced. It is proven that the automorphism group of some of these codes contains the group PSL₂(q). New codes over GF(4) and GF(5), with better minimum weight than previously known codes, are given.     

On a class of small 2-designs over gf(q)

A 2 ? (v,k,λ;q) design is a pair (V, B) of a v-dimensional vector space V over GF(q) and a collection B of k-dimensional subspaces of V such that each 2-dimensional subspace of V is contained in exactly λ members of B. Assuming transitivity of their automorphism groups on the nonzero vectors of V, we give a classification of nontrivial such designs for v = 7, q = 2,3 with small λ, together with the nonexistence proof of those designs for v ? 6. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Some combinatorial constructions for optimal perfect deletion-correcting codes

There are two kinds of perfect t-deletion-correcting codes of length k over an alphabet of size v, those where the coordinates may be equal and those where all coordinates must be different. We call these two kinds of codes T*(k − t, k, v)-codes and T(k − t, k, v)-codes respectively. The cardinality of a T(k − t, k, v)-code is determined by its parameters, while T*(k − t, k, v)-codes do not necessarily have a fixed size. Let N(k − t, k, v) denote the maximum number of codewords in any T*(k − t, k, v)-code. A T*(k − t, k, v)-code with N(k − t, k, v) codewords is said to be optimal. In this paper, some combinatorial constructions for optimal T*(2, k, v)-codes are developed. Using these constructions, we are able to determine the values of N(2, 4, v) for all positive integers v. The values of N(2, 5, v) are also determined for almost all positive integers v, except for v = 13, 15, 19, 27 and 34.      

A generalized Gleason–Pierce–Ward theorem

The Gleason–Pierce–Ward theorem gives constraints on the divisor and field size of a linear divisible code over a finite field whose dimension is half of the code length. This result is a departure point for the study of self-dual codes. In recent years, additive codes have been studied intensively because of their use in additive quantum codes. In this work, we generalize the Gleason–Pierce–Ward theorem on linear codes over GF(q), q = p ^m , to additive codes over GF(q). The first step of our proof is an application of a generalized upper bound on the dimension of a divisible code determined by its weight spectrum. The bound is proved by Ward for linear codes over GF(q), and is generalized by Liu to any code as long as the MacWilliams identities are satisfied. The trace map and an analogous homomorphism on GF(q) are used to complete our proof.      

The automorphism groups of Reed-Solomon codes

A class of maximum distance separable codes is introduced which includes Reed Solomon codes; extended Reed-Solomon codes, and other cyclic or pseudocyclie MDS codes studied recently. This class of codes, which we call “Cauchy codes” because of the special form of their generator matrices, forms a closed submanifold of dimension 2n - 4 in the k × (n - k)-dimensional algebraic manifold of all MDS codes of length n and dimension k. For every Cauchy code we determine the automorphism group and its underlying permutation group. Far doubly-extended Reed-Solomon codes over GF(q) the permutation group is the semilinear fractional group PΛL(2, q).     

The Structure of 1-Generator Quasi-Twisted Codes and New Linear Codes

One of the most important problems of coding theory is to construct codes with best possible minimum distances. Recently, quasi-cyclic (QC) codes have been proven to contain many such codes. In this paper, we consider quasi-twisted (QT) codes, which are generalizations of QC codes, and their structural properties and obtain new codes which improve minimum distances of best known linear codes over the finite fields GF(3) and GF(5). Moreover, we give a BCH-type bound on minimum distance for QT codes and give a sufficient condition for a QT code to be equivalent to a QC code.     

Systematic Construction of <Emphasis Type="Italic">q</Emphasis>-Analogs of <Emphasis Type="Italic">t</Emphasis>−(<Emphasis Type="Italic">v</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type="Italic">k</Emphasis>,λ)-Designs

In the present paper we consider a q-analog of t–(v,k,)-designs. It is canonic since it arises by replacing sets by vector spaces over GF(q), and their orders by dimensions. These generalizations were introduced by Thomas [Geom.Dedicata vol. 63, pp. 247–253 (1996)] they are called t –(v,k,;q)- designs. A few of such q-analogs are known today, they were constructed using sophisticated geometric arguments and case-by-case methods. It is our aim now to present a general method that allows systematically to construct such designs, and to give complete catalogs (for small parameters, of course) using an implemented software package. &nbsp; In order to attack the (highly complex) construction, we prepare them for an enormous data reduction by embedding their definition into the theory of group actions on posets, so that we can derive and use a generalization of the Kramer-Mesner matrix for their definition, together with an improved version of the LLL-algorithm. By doing so we generalize the methods developed in a research project on t –(v,k,)-designs on sets, obtaining this way new results on the existence of t–(v,k,;q)-designs on spaces for further quintuples (t,v,k,;q) of parameters. We present several 2–(6,3,;2)-designs, 2–(7,3,;2)-designs and, as far as we know, the very first 3-designs over GF(q).classification 05B05     

Cyclic codes and the Frobenius automorphism

Using the theory of cyclic codes the following problem of K. Burde' on characterizing finite fields GF (qⁿ) is solved:¶ Consider GF (qⁿ) as a vector space over GF (q). For which GF (qⁿ) exists for any k = 0, . . . ,n exactly one subspace C of dimension k and which is invariant under the Frobenius automorphism?     

Self-Orthogonal and Self-Dual Codes Constructed via Combinatorial Designs and Diophantine Equations

Combinatorial designs have been widely used, in the construction of self-dual codes. Recently, new methods of constructing self-dual codes are established using orthogonal designs (ODs), generalized orthogonal designs (GODs), a set of four sequences and Diophantine equations over GF(p). These methods had led to the construction of many new self-dual codes over small finite fields and rings. In this paper, we used some methods to construct self-orthogonal and self dual codes over GF(p), for some primes p. The construction is achieved by using some special kinds of combinatorial designs like orthogonal designs and GODs. Moreover, we combine eight circulant matrices, a system of Diophantine equations over GF(p), and a recently discovered array to obtain a new construction method. Using this method new self-dual and self-orthogonal codes are obtained. Specifically, we obtain new self-dual codes [32,16,12] over GF(11) and GF(13) which improve the previously known distances.     

Optimal ternary quasi-cyclic codes

Quasi-cyclic codes have provided a rich source of good linear codes. Previous constructions of quasi-cyclic codes have been confined mainly to codes whose length is a multiple of the dimension. In this paper it is shown how searches may be extended to codes whose length is a multiple of some integer which is greater than the dimension. The particular case of 5-dimensional codes over GF(3) is considered and a number of optimal codes (i.e., [n, k, d]-codes having largest possible minimum distance d for given length n and dimension k) are constructed. These include ternary codes with parameters [45, 5, 28], [36, 5, 22], [42, 5, 26], [48, 5, 30] and [72, 5, 46], all of which improve on the previously best known bounds.This research has been supported by the British SERC.     

On large sets of almost Hamilton cycle decompositions

A large set of CS(v, k, λ), k‐cycle system of order v with index λ, is a partition of all k‐cycles of K_v into CS(v, k, λ)s, denoted by LCS(v, k, λ). A (v ? 1)‐cycle is called almost Hamilton. The completion of the existence spectrum for LCS(v, v ? 1, λ) only depends on one case: all v ≥ 4 for λ = 2. In this article, it is shown that there exists an LCS(v, v ? 1,2) for any v ≡ 0,1 (mod 4) except v = 5, and for v = 6,7,10,11. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 16: 53–69, 2008     

Factorization of Trinomials over Galois Fields of Characteristic 2

We study the parity of the number of irreducible factors of trinomials over Galois fields of characteristic 2. As a consequence, some sufficient conditions for a trinomial being reducible are obtained. For example,xⁿ+ax^k+bGF(2^t)[x] is reducible if bothn,tare even, except possibly whenn= 2k,kodd. The caset= 1 was treated by R. G. Swan (Pacific J. Math.12,No. 2 (1962), 1099–1106), who showed thatxⁿ+x^k+ 1 is reducible overGF(2) if 8|n.     

A bound for Wilson's theorem (II)

In this article we prove the following theorem. For any k ≥ 3, let c(k, 1) = exp{exp{k^k2}}. If v(v − 1) ≡ 0 (mod k(k −1)) and v − 1 ≡ 0 (mod k−1) and v > c(k, 1), then a B(v,k, 1) exists. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

A bound for Wilson's theorem (III)

In this article we prove the following statement. For any positive integers k ≥ 3 and λ, let c(k, λ) = exp{exp{k;rcub;}. If λv(v − 1) ≡ 0 (mod k(k − 1)) and λ(v − 1) ≡ 0 (mod k − 1) and v > c(k, λ), then a B(v, k, λ) exists. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Existence of (q, 7, 1) difference families with q a prime power

The existence of a (q,k, 1) difference family in GF(q) has been completely solved for k = 3,4,5,6. For k = 7 only partial results have been given. In this article, we continue the investigation and use Weil's theorem on character sums to show that the necessary condition for the existence of a (q,7,1) difference family in GF(q), i.e. q ≡ 1; (mod 42) is also sufficient except for q = 43 and possibly except for q = 127, q = 211, q = 31⁶ and primes q∈ [261239791, 1.236597 × 10¹³] such that in GF(q). © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 10: 126–138, 2002; DOI 10.1002/jcd.998     

A search algorithm for linear codes: progressive dimension growth

This paper presents an algorithm, called progressive dimension growth (PDG), for the construction of linear codes with a pre-specified length and a minimum distance. A number of new linear codes over GF(5) that have been discovered via this algorithm are also presented.      

A Combinatorial Construction for Perfect Deletion-Correcting Codes

By a T ^*(2, k, v)-code we mean a perfect(k-2)-deletion-correcting code of length k over an alphabet ofsize v, which is capable of correcting any combination of up to(k-2) deletions and insertions of letters occured in transmission ofcodewords. In this paper, we provide a combinatorial construction forT ^*(2, k, v-codes. As an application, we show that aT ^*(2, 6, v-code exists for all positive integersv 3 (mod 5), with at most 12 possible exceptions of v. In theprocedure, a result on incomplete directed BIBDs is also established which is ofinterest in its own right.     

Embeddings of Un(q2) and symmetric strongly regular graphs

In the geometric setting of the embedding of the unitary group U_n(q²) inside an orthogonal or a symplectic group over the subfield GF(q) of GF(q²), q odd, we show the existence of infinite families of transitive two‐character sets with respect to hyperplanes that in turn define new symmetric strongly regular graphs and two‐weight codes. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 18: 248–253, 2010