On cyclic MDS-codes (Q4495302)

This article investigates the problem when a cyclic code is maximum distance separable. Special attention is given to linear cyclic \(q\)-ary \([q-1,k,d]\)-codes. Since the length \(n=q-1\) of these codes and the order \(q\) of the field are relatively prime, these codes are uniquely defined by the sets \(\{\omega_{a_0},\ldots,\omega_{a_r}\}\) of zeros of their generator polynomials, where \(\omega\) is a generator of the finite field of order \(q\); so these codes are uniquely defined by their \textit{exponent sets} \(\{a_0,\ldots,a_r\}\). A \textit{trivial} exponent set is an exponent set defining a cyclic Reed-Solomon code. Using results of \textit{R. Matthews} [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 120, No. 1, 47-51 (1994; Zbl 0806.11058)], it is shown that \(q\)-MDS exponent sets of size three are trivial for odd \(q\). Exponents sets whose sizes are \textit{small} with respect to \(q\) are investigated using algebraic geometry and results on arcs in projective spaces. Special attention is given to the exponent set \(\{0,\ldots,r-1,m\}\). In the final part of the article, a connection between the minimum distance of cyclic codes and certain modular representations of GL\(_{r+1}\)(F\(_q\)) is described. For the entire collection see [Zbl 0930.00088].