The covering problem in Rosenbloom-Tsfasman spaces (Q888588)

Summary: We investigate the covering problem in RT spaces induced by the Rosenbloom-Tsfasman metric, extending the classical covering problem in Hamming spaces. Some connections between coverings in RT spaces and coverings in Hamming spaces are derived. Several lower and upper bounds are established for the smallest cardinality of a covering code in an RT space, generalizing results by \textit{W. A. Carnielli} [Discrete Math. 57, 9--16 (1985; Zbl 0589.05029)], \textit{W. Chen} and \textit{I. S. Honkala} [IEEE Trans. Inf. Theory 36, No. 3, 664--671 (1990; Zbl 0703.94014)], \textit{R. A. Brualdi} et al. [Discrete Math. 147, No. 1--3, 57--72 (1995; Zbl 0854.94019)], \textit{B. Yildiz} et al. [Appl. Math. Lett. 23, No. 9, 988--992 (2010; Zbl 1193.94078)]. A new construction of MDS codes in RT spaces is obtained. Upper bounds are given on the basis of MDS codes, generalizing well-known results due to \textit{R. G. Stanton} et al. [J. Lond. Math. Soc., II. Ser. 1, 493--499 (1969; Zbl 0191.00505)], \textit{A. Blokhuis} and \textit{C. W. H. Lam} [J. Comb. Theory, Ser. A 36, 240--244 (1984; Zbl 0533.05020)], and \textit{W. A. Carnielli} [Stud. Appl. Math. 82, No. 1, 59--69 (1990; Zbl 0692.05020)]. Tables of lower and upper bounds are presented too.