Minimum weight codewords in dual algebraic-geometric codes from the Giulietti-Korchmáros curve (Q2416942)

The aim of the present paper is to determine the number of minimum weight codewords of the dual (or differential codes) of some evaluation algebraic-geometric codes $C(D,G)$, see [\textit{H. Stichtenoth}, Algebraic function fields and codes. 2nd ed. Berlin: Springer (2009; Zbl 1155.14022)]. Here $D,G$\, are divisors on the Giulietti-Korchmáros ($\mathcal{GK}$) curve, see [\textit{M. Giulietti} and \textit{G. Korchmáros}, Math. Ann. 343, No. 1, 229--245 (2009; Zbl 1160.14016)]. \par A key tool in the paper is a result of \textit{A. Couvreur} [J. Algebra 350, No. 1, 84--107 (2012; Zbl 1241.14014)] (cited here as Theorem 2.1), result giving the minimum distance of certain codes $C(D,G)^{\bot}$, and other tool is the computation of the number of intersections of the $\mathcal{GK}$\, curve with lines, plane conics and plane cubics. \par Section 2 summarizes the background on AG-codes, affine variety codes and the $\mathcal{GK}$\, curve. This curve is defined over a finite field $\mathbb{F}_{l^6}$\, (in the paper $l=p^h,\, p$\, prime), it is contained in the 3-dimensional projective space $\mathbb{P}^3(\mathbb{F}_{l^6})$,\, it is a maximal curve (its number of points is $l^6+1+2gl^3$,\, with $g=\frac{(l^3+1)(l^2-2)}{2}+1$ the genus of the $\mathcal{GK})$\, curve and a complete intersection curve). \par Section 3 gives the maximum size of the intersection points of the $\mathcal{GK}$\, curve with a line in $\mathbb{P}^3(\mathbb{F}_{l^6})$,\, (Proposition 3.1) or a plane conic in $\mathbb{P}^3(\mathbb{F}_{l^6})$,\, (Proposition 3.3). \par Then Section 4 studies the number of minimum weight codewords. The paper takes $G=G_m = m(l^3+1)P_{\infty}$,\, with $P_{\infty}=(1:0:0:0)$\, the unique point at infinity of the $\mathcal{GK}$\, curve and $D$\, the formal sum of the affine points of $\mathcal{GK}(\mathbb{F}_{l^6})$. \par First Section 4 determines (Proposition 4.1) the minimum distance of $C(D, G_m)^{\bot}$, using Theorem 2.1 and then number of minimum weight assuming $\leq-1\le m\le 2(l-1)$\, (Theorem 4.3). If $2(l-1)<m<l^2-l-1$\, a lower bound on the number of minimum codewords is also provided (Theorem 4.4).