Algebraic decoding of negacyclic codes over \({\mathbb Z_4}\) (Q1934216)

A negacyclic code of length \(n\) over \(\mathbb{Z}_4\) is an ideal in the ring \(\mathbb{Z}_4[x]/\langle x^n+1 \rangle\). The authors look at these negacyclic codes over \(\mathbb{Z}_4\), following work of Berlekamp who looked at negacyclic codes over prime fields. The current authors' work avoids certain restrictions that occur with respect to odd prime fields, and so is applicable to a larger class of codes. Working with respect to the Lee weight, the authors develop an algorithm that decodes received words, provided that the Lee weight of the error is less than or equal to \(t\), where the minimum Lee distance of the code is \(2t+1\). This decoding algorithm makes use of error locator polynomials and Gröbner bases.