The Hamming Distance Spectrum Between Self-Dual Maiorana–McFarland Bent Functions

A bent function is self-dual if it is equal to its dual function. We study the metric properties of the self-dual bent functions constructed on using available constructions. We find the full Hamming distance spectrum between self-dual Maiorana–McFarland bent functions. Basing on this, we find the minimal Hamming distance between the functions under study.     

A new construction of bent functions based on {\mathbb{Z}} -bent functions

Dobbertin has embedded the problem of construction of bent functions in a recursive framework by using a generalization of bent functions called ${\mathbb{Z}}$ -bent functions. Following his ideas, we generalize the construction of partial spreads bent functions to partial spreads ${\mathbb{Z}}$ -bent functions of arbitrary level. Furthermore, we show how these partial spreads ${\mathbb{Z}}$ -bent functions give rise to a new construction of (classical) bent functions. Further, we construct a bent function on 8 variables which is inequivalent to all Maiorana–McFarland as well as PS _ap type bents. It is also shown that all bent functions on 6 variables, up to equivalence, can be obtained by our construction.     

Gowers $$U_3$$ norm of some classes of bent Boolean functions

The Gowers \(U_3\) norm of a Boolean function is a measure of its resistance to quadratic approximations. It is known that smaller the Gowers \(U_3\) norm for a Boolean function larger is its resistance to quadratic approximations. Here, we compute Gowers \(U_3\) norms for some classes of Maiorana–McFarland bent functions. In particular, we explicitly determine the value of the Gowers \(U_3\) norm of Maiorana–McFarland bent functions obtained by using APN permutations. We prove that this value is always smaller than the Gowers \(U_3\) norms of Maiorana–McFarland bent functions obtained by using differentially \(\delta \)-uniform permutations, for all \(\delta \ge 4\). We also compute the Gowers \(U_3\) norms for a class of cubic monomial functions, not necessarily bent, and show that for \(n=6\), these norm values are less than that of Maiorana–McFarland bent functions. Further, we computationally show that there exist 6-variable functions in this class which are not bent but achieve the maximum second-order nonlinearity for 6 variables.     

Bent partitions

Designs, Codes and Cryptography - Spread and partial spread constructions are the most powerful bent function constructions. A large variety of bent functions from a 2m-dimensional vector space...     

Bent and generalized bent Boolean functions

In this paper, we investigate the properties of generalized bent functions defined on ${\mathbb{Z}_2^n}$ with values in ${\mathbb{Z}_q}$ , where q ≥ 2 is any positive integer. We characterize the class of generalized bent functions symmetric with respect to two variables, provide analogues of Maiorana–McFarland type bent functions and Dillon’s functions in the generalized set up. A class of bent functions called generalized spreads is introduced and we show that it contains all Dillon type generalized bent functions and Maiorana–McFarland type generalized bent functions. Thus, unification of two different types of generalized bent functions is achieved. The crosscorrelation spectrum of generalized Dillon type bent functions is also characterized. We further characterize generalized bent Boolean functions defined on ${\mathbb{Z}_2^n}$ with values in ${\mathbb{Z}_4}$ and ${\mathbb{Z}_8}$ . Moreover, we propose several constructions of such generalized bent functions for both n even and n odd.     

Generalized Maiorana–McFarland class and normality of p-ary bent functions

A class of bent functions which contains bent functions with various properties like regular, weakly regular and not weakly regular bent functions in even and in odd dimension, is analyzed. It is shown that this class includes the Maiorana–McFarland class as a special case. Known classes and examples of bent functions in odd characteristic are examined for their relation to this class. In the second part, normality for bent functions in odd characteristic is analyzed. It turns out that differently to Boolean bent functions, many – also quadratic – bent functions in odd characteristic and even dimension are not normal. It is shown that regular Coulter–Matthews bent functions are normal.     

A characterisation of spreads ovally-derived from Desarguesian spreads

We characterise all spreads that are obtainable from Desarguesian spreads by replacing a partial spread consisting of translation ovals; the corresponding ovally-derived planes are generalised André planes, of order 2 ^N , although not all generalised André planes are ovallyderived from Desarguesian planes. Our analysis allows us to obtain a complete classification of all nearfield planes that are ovally-derived from Desarguesian planes. It turns out that whether or not a nearfield plane is ovally-derived from a Desarguesian plane depends solely on the parametersq andr, where GF (q) is the kern, andr is the dimension of the plane. Our results also imply that a Hall plane of even orderq ² can be ovally-derived from a Desarguesian spread if and only ifq is a square.     

The graph of minimal distances of bent functions and its properties

A notion of the graph of minimal distances of bent functions is introduced. It is an undirected graph (V, E) where V is the set of all bent functions in 2k variables and \((f, g) \in E\) if the Hamming distance between f and g is equal to \(2^k\). It is shown that the maximum degree of the graph is equal to \(2^k (2^1 + 1) (2^2 + 1) \cdots (2^k + 1)\) and all its vertices of maximum degree are quadratic bent functions. It is obtained that the degree of a vertex from Maiorana—McFarland class is not less than \(2^{2k + 1} - 2^k\). It is proven that the graph is connected for \(2k = 2, 4, 6\), disconnected for \(2k \ge 10\) and its subgraph induced by all functions EA-equivalent to Maiorana—McFarland bent functions is connected.     

Affine inequivalence of cubic Maiorana–McFarland type bent functions

We consider cubic Maiorana–McFarland type bent functions having no affine derivatives. By using an invariant proposed by Dillon in 1975 we identify subclasses of inequivalent bent functions within this class. These can also be identified by [4, Theorem B]. However, our technique involves only elementary derivations. We also include some computational results.     

Applications of Feller–Reuter–Riley Transition Functions

A Feller–Reuter–Riley function is a Markov transition function whose corresponding semigroup maps the set of the real-valued continuous functions vanishing at infinity into itself. The aim of this paper is to investigate applications of such functions in the dual problem, Markov branching processes, and the Williams-matrix. The remarkable property of a Feller–Reuter–Riley function is that it is a Feller minimal transition function with a stable q-matrix. By using this property we are able to prove that, in the theory of branching processes, the branching property is equivalent to the requirement that the corresponding transition function satisfies the Kolmogorov forward equations associated with a stable q-matrix. It follows that the probabilistic definition and the analytic definition for Markov branching processes are actually equivalent. Also, by using this property, together with the Resolvent Decomposition Theorem, a simple analytical proof of the Williams' existence theorem with respect to the Williams-matrix is obtained. The close link between the dual problem and the Feller–Reuter–Riley transition functions is revealed. It enables us to prove that a dual transition function must satisfy the Kolmogorov forward equations. A necessary and sufficient condition for a dual transition function satisfying the Kolmogorov backward equations is also provided.     

Characterisations of Flock Quadrangles

We characterise the Hermitian and Kantor flock generalized quadrangles of order (q ²,q), q even, (associated with the linear and Fisher–Thas–Walker flocks of a quadratic cone, and the Desarguesian and Betten–Walker translation planes) in terms of a self-dual subquadrangle. Equivalently, we show that a herd which contains a translation oval must be associated with the linear or Fisher–Thas–Walker flock. This result is a consequence of the determination of all functions which satisfy a certain absolute trace equation whose form is remarkably similar to that of an equation arising in recent studies of ovoids in three-dimensional projective space of finite order q.     

Counting all bent functions in dimension eight 99270589265934370305785861242880

Based on the classification of the homogeneous Boolean functions of degree 4 in 8 variables we present the strategy that we used to count the number of all bent functions in dimension 8. There are $$99270589265934370305785861242880 \approx 2^{106}$$ such functions in total. Furthermore, we show that most of the bent functions in dimension 8 are nonequivalent to Maiorana?CMcFarland and partial spread functions.     

On the confusion and diffusion properties of Maiorana–McFarland's and extended Maiorana–McFarland's functions

A practical problem in symmetric cryptography is finding constructions of Boolean functions leading to reasonably large sets of functions satisfying some desired cryptographic criteria. The main known construction, called Maiorana–McFarland, has been recently extended. Some other constructions exist, but lead to smaller classes of functions. Here, we study more in detail the nonlinearities and the resiliencies of the functions produced by all these constructions. Further we see how to obtain functions satisfying the propagation criterion (among which bent functions) with these methods, and we give a new construction of bent functions based on the extended Maiorana–McFarland's construction.     

The ternary rings of Desarguesian and Pappian planes — A simple proof using perspectivities

The aim of this paper is to give a direct, simple proof of the well-known theorems — that the Hall ternary ring (R, T) of a Pappian projective plane is a linear ternary ring over a field, and that of a Desarguesian plane is a linear one over a skew field — by making repeated application of the perspectivity theorem in a Pappian plane and the characterization of Desarguesian planes in terms of perspectivities.This is a revised version of the paper The Ternary Ring of a Pappian Plane — A Simple Proof presented at the 49th Conference of the Indian Mathematical Society, held at Madras, December 27–29, 1983.     

McFarland's conjecture on abelian difference sets with multiplier −1

This paper is a continuation of the work by R.L. McFarland and S.L. Ma on abelian difference sets with –1 as a multiplier. More nonexistence results are obtained as a consequence of a theorem on the existence of sub-difference sets. In particular, nonexistence is shown for the two cases left undecided by McFarland and Ma.     

A novel algorithm enumerating bent functions

Based on the relationship between the Walsh spectra of a Boolean function at partial points and the Walsh spectra of its subfunctions, and on the binary Möbius transform, a novel algorithm is developed, which can theoretically construct all bent functions. Practically we enumerate all bent functions in 6 variables. With the restriction on the algebraic normal form, the algorithm is also efficient in more variables case. For example, enumeration of all homogeneous bent functions of degree 3 in 8 variables can be done in one minute with a P4 1.7 GHz computer; the nonexistence of homogeneous bent functions in 10 variables of degree 4 is computationally proved.     

New Maximal Arcs in Desarguesian Planes

Constructions are described of maximal arcs in Desarguesian projective planes utilizing sets of conics on a common nucleus in PG(2, q). Several new infinite families of maximal arcs in PG(2, q) are presented and a complete enumeration is carried out for Desarguesian planes of order 16, 32, and 64. For each arc we list the order of its stabilizer and the numbers of subarcs it contains. Maximal arcs may be used to construct interesting new partial geometries, 2-weight codes, and resolvable Steiner 2-designs.     

Enumeration of the bent functions of least deviation from a quadratic bent function

We study a construction of the bent functions of least deviation from a quadratic bent function, describe all these bent functions of 2k variables, and show that the quantity of them is 2 ^k (2¹ + 1) ... (2 ^k + 1). We find some lower bound on the number of the bent functions of least deviation from a bent function of the Maiorana-McFarland class.     

On the dual of a Coulter–Matthews bent function

Coulter–Matthews (CM) bent functions are from to defined by , where and (α,2n)=1. It is not known if these bent functions are weakly regular in general. In this paper, we show that when n is even and α=n+1 (or n−1), the CM bent function is weakly regular. Moreover, we explicitly determine the dual of the CM bent function in this case. The dual is a bent function not reported previously.