Convolutional codes of Goppa type (Q1885354)

Let \(U\) denote the affine line over the finite field \({\mathbb F}_q\). Let \(\pi:X\rightarrow U\) be a projective and flat morphism whose fibers are smooth and geometrically irreducible curves. Let \(p_i, 1\leq i\leq n\), be distinct sections of \(\pi\), and put \(D=p_1(U)+\cdots +p_n(U)\). Then \(D\) is a relative divisor of degree \(n\) over \(U\). Let \({\mathcal L}\) be an invertible sheaf on \(X\), and let \(\eta\) denote the generic point of \(U\). Then the authors define the convolutional Goppa code \({\mathcal C}({\mathcal L},D)\) to be the \({\mathbb F}_q(z)\)-module that is the image of the map \[ H^0(X,{\mathcal L})_\eta\rightarrow H^0(X,{\mathcal O}_D)_\eta\cong {\mathbb F}_q(z)^n, \] which evaluates a global section of \({\mathcal L}\) on \(D\) over the generic point of \(U\). If the sections \(p_i\) are pairwise disjoint, then there is a canonical isomorphism of rings \( H^0(X,{\mathcal O}_D)\rightarrow {\mathbb F}_q[z]^n\). However, when these sections are not disjoint, then there are non-canonical isomorphisms \(\phi: H^0(X,{\mathcal O}_D)\rightarrow {\mathbb F}_q[z]^n\) of \({\mathbb F}_q[z]\)-modules that are not in general isomorphisms of rings. Fixing such an isomorphism \(\phi\) of \({\mathbb F}_q[z]\)-modules, the authors define the convolutional Goppa code \({\mathcal C}({\mathcal L},D,\phi)\) to be the image of the composition \[ H^0(X,{\mathcal L})\rightarrow H^0(X,{\mathcal O}_D)\overset\phi\rightarrow {\mathbb F}_q[z]^n. \] Every matrix defining this composition is a basic generator matrix for \({\mathcal C}({\mathcal L},D,\phi)\). In the case when \(X\) is a rational surface, the authors construct examples of convolutional codes that are analogous to generalized Reed-Solomon codes. Using this construction, they give concrete examples of convolutional Goppa codes that are maximum distance separable convolutional codes.