Structure theorems for group ring codes with an application to self-dual codes (Q5947342)

The author generalizes previous work [IEEE Trans. Inf. Theory 46, 674-680 (2000; Zbl 0996.94053)] by providing structure theorems for group ring codes. It is shown that a group ring code satisfying some technical conditions is isomorphic to a direct sum of twisted group ring codes using cohomological considerations. The author also provides conditions for a group ring code to decompose into the direct sum of multidimensional constacyclic codes. Some applications to self-dual abelian codes complete the paper. For example, he shows that there are no self-dual abelian codes of length \(n\) over \(\mathbb{Z}_{p^m}\) if gcd\((p,n)=1\) and \(m\) is odd.