Twisting geometric codes (Q958623)

The paper shows how, given an algebraic-geometric code \(C=C(X,G,P)\),\, \(X\)\, curve defined over a finite field \(F_q\),\, and given a morphism \(\pi: Y\rightarrow X\)\, and a non-trivial character \(\chi\)\, of the Galois group \(\Gamma=G(Y/X)\)\, one can build another code \(C_{\chi}=C(X,G+D_{\chi},P)\),\, where \(D_{\chi}\)\, is a non-principal degree 0 divisor associated to \(\chi\). In some cases this new code improves the initial one i.e. \(\dim(C_{\chi})>\dim(C)\)\, and \(d(C_{\chi})\geq d(C)\). Of course it should be supposed \(deg G\leq 2g(X)-2\)\, (otherwise the dimension is always \(\deg G+1-g\)). Section 1 describes the construction of \(D_{\chi}\). The paper supposes \(\Gamma\)\, cyclic and \(m=\sharp(\Gamma)| q-1\)\, (so \(F_q\)\, contains the \(m\)th roots of unity). Given \(\chi\)\, there exists a function \(f_{\chi}\in K(Y)^*\)\, such that \(\gamma \circ f_{\chi}=\chi(\gamma)f_{\chi},\, \forall \gamma\in \Gamma \),\, and a unique divisor \(D_{\chi}\in \text{Div}(X)\)\, such that \((f_{\chi})=\pi^*(D_{\chi})\),\, with \(\pi^*: \text{Div}(X)\rightarrow \text{Div}(Y)^{\Gamma} \)\, induced by \(\pi\). If \((f_{\chi})\)\, has disjoint support with the ramification locus of \(\pi\)\, then \(D_{\chi}\)\, is not principal. Section 2 gives examples obtained using a MAGMA program. In those examples \(Y: u^m+v^m+w^m=0,\, m=n^2-n+1,\, n\geq 2\)\, and \(X=Y/\Gamma\). The covering \(\pi: Y\rightarrow X\)\, is cyclic unramified of degree \(m\). The authors provide two explicit examples: in the first \(n=3, m=7, q=8\)\, and \(C\)\, is a [6,2,4] code improved to a [6,3,4] code while in the second \(n=4, m=13, q=27\)\, and \(C\)\, is a [8,5,3] code improved to a [8,6,3] code.