Nonstandard linear recurring sequence subgroups in finite fields and automorphisms of cyclic codes

TL;DR

This paper classifies nonstandard elements in finite fields, linking them to cyclic codes with automorphisms, and fully characterizes degree two cases using subgroup classifications and recent results.

Contribution

It provides a complete classification of nonstandard elements of degree two over finite fields, connecting them to cyclic codes with extra automorphisms and introducing new types of nonstandard elements.

Findings

Two sporadic nonstandard elements related to Golay codes.

Nonstandard elements of degree two are either of type I or type II.

Complete classification of degree two nonstandard elements achieved.

Abstract

Let $q=p^r$ be a prime power, and let $f(x)=x^m-\gs_{m-1}x^{m-1}- >...-\gs_1x-\gs_0$ be an irreducible polynomial over the finite field $\GF(q)$ of size $q$. A zero $\xi$ of $f$ is called {\em nonstandard (of degree $m$) over $\GF(q)$} if the recurrence relation $u_m=\gs_{m-1}u_{m-1} + ... + \gs_1u_1+\gs_0u_0$ with characteristic polynomial $f$ can generate the powers of $\xi$ in a nontrivial way, that is, with $u_0=1$ and $f(u_1)\neq 0$. In 2003, Brison and Nogueira asked for a characterisation of all nonstandard cases in the case $m=2$, and solved this problem for $q$ a prime, and later for $q=p^r$ with $r\leq4$. In this paper, we first show that classifying nonstandard finite field elements is equivalent to classifying those cyclic codes over $\GF(q)$ generated by a single zero that posses extra permutation automorphisms. Apart from two sporadic examples of degree 11 over $\GF(2)$ and of degree 5 over $\GF(3)$, related to the Golay codes, there exist two classes of examples of nonstandard finite field elements. One of these classes (type I) involves irreducible polynomials $f$ of the form $f(x)=x^m-f_0$, and is well-understood. The other class (type II) can be obtained from a primitive element in some subfield by a process that we call extension and lifting. We will use the known classification of the subgroups of $\PGL(2,q)$ in combination with a recent result by Brison and Nogueira to show that a nonstandard element of degree two over $\GF(q)$ necessarily is of type I or type II, thus solving completely the classification problem for the case $m=2$.