On the generalization of the Costas property in the continuum

Abstract

We extend the definition of the Costas property to functions in the continuum, namely on intervals of the reals or the rationals, and argue that such functions can be used in the same applications as discrete Costas arrays. We construct Costas bijections in the real continuum within the class of piecewise continuously differentiable functions, but our attempts to construct a fractal-like Costas bijection there are successful only under slight but necessary deviations from the usual arithmetic laws. Furthermore, we are able, contingent on the validity of Artin's conjecture, to set up a limiting process according to which sequences of Welch Costas arrays converge to smooth Costas bijections over the reals. The situation over the rationals is different: there, we propose an algorithm of great generality and flexibility for the construction of a Costas fractal bijection. Its success, though, relies heavily on the enumerability of the rationals, and therefore it cannot be generalized over the reals in an obvious way.