A note on negacyclic self-dual codes over \(\mathbb Z_{2^{a}}\) (Q713144)

In this paper, the authors study negacyclic self-dual codes over \( Z_{2^a} \). A self-dual code is called type I if there exists a codeword having a Euclidean weight that is not a multiple of \(2^{a+1} \). The Euclidean weight \( w_E(c) \) of a codeword in \( (Z_{2^a})^n \) is defined as \( \sum^n_{i=1}\min\{c^2_i,(2^a-c_i)^2\} \). This definition is connected to an application of codes over \( Z_4\) to unimodular lattices. It is shown that negacyclic self-dual codes over \(Z_{2^a}\) are of type I. The paper finishes, by showing some examples defining extremal self-dual negacyclic codes over \(Z_4\) and \(Z_8\). The paper is best appreciated if the reader has studied [\textit{S. Zhu} and \textit{X. Kai}, Discrete Math. 309, No. 8, 2382--2391 (2009; Zbl 1165.94011)] before reading this paper.