arXiv subjects

Jens Zumbrägel

Publications and source records attributed to Jens Zumbrägel.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Generalising Latin square orthogonality and Frobenius-König with alternating sign matrices

The theory of Latin squares has a long history. While the objects themselves appeared earlier, the study of their general mathematical theory dates back to Euler in the 18th century. Latin squares can be interpreted as 3-dimensional permutation hypermatrices, and alternating sign matrices often arise as a natural generalisation of permutation matrices. In 2018, Brualdi and Dahl introduced a generalisation of classical Latin squares using alternating sign hypermatrices. Inspired by their definition, we develop the theory of Italian squares, a related generalisation of Latin squares, together with a notion of orthogonality that resolves an inconsistency in the definition of Brualdi and Dahl. Building on classical questions from Latin square theory, we obtain results including upper bounds on the maximal size of a pairwise orthogonal set, conditions for the existence of an orthogonal mate, infinite families of orthogonal pairs, and transversals. As part of our exploration of alternating sign matrices, we also prove a Frobenius-König type result for a class of $(0,\pm1)$-matrices.

math.CO↗

arXiv2026

Codes Correcting Few Restricted Errors

We consider linear codes over a field in which the error values are restricted to a subgroup of its unit group. This scenario captures Lee distance codes as well as codes over the Gaussian or Eisenstein integers. Codes correcting restricted errors gained increased attention recently in the context of code-based cryptography. In this work we provide new constructions of codes over the Gaussian or Eisenstein integers correcting two or three errors. We adapt some techniques from Roth and Siegel's work on codes for the Lee metric. We propose two construction methods, which may be seen of geometric and algebraic flavor, respectively.

cs.IT↗

arXiv2025

A Monoid Ring Approach to Color Visual Cryptography

A visual cryptography scheme is a secret sharing scheme in which the secret information is an image and the shares are printed on transparencies, so that the secret image can be recovered by simply stacking the shares on top of each other. Such schemes do therefore not require any knowledge of cryptography tools to recover the secret, and they have widespread applications, for example, when sharing QR codes or medical images. In this work we deal with visual cryptography threshold schemes for color images. Our color model differs from most previous work by allowing arbitrary colors to be stacked, resulting in a possibly different color. This more general color monoid model enables us to achieve shorter pixel expansion and higher contrast than comparable schemes. We revisit the polynomial framework of Koga and Ishihara for constructing visual cryptography schemes and apply the monoid ring to obtain new schemes for color visual cryptography.

cs.CR↗

arXiv2024

A Plaque Test for Redundancies in Relational Data [Extendend Version]

Inspired by the visualization of dental plaque at the dentist's office, this article proposes a novel visualization of redundancies in relational data. Our approach is based on a well-principled information-theoretic framework that has so far seen limited practical application in systems and tools. In this framework, we quantify the information content (or entropy) of each cell in a relation instance given a set of functional dependencies. The entropy value signifies the likelihood of recovering the cell value based on the dependencies and the remaining tuples. By highlighting cells with lower entropy, we effectively visualize redundancies in the data. We present an initial prototype implementation and demonstrate that a straightforward approach is insufficient to handle practical problem sizes. To address this limitation, we propose several optimizations which we prove to be correct. In addition, we present a Monte Carlo approximation with a known error, enabling a computationally tractable analysis. By applying our visualization technique to real-world datasets, we showcase its potential. Our vision is to empower data analysts by directing their focus in data profiling toward pertinent redundancies, analogous to the diagnostic role of a plaque test at the dentist's office.

cs.DB↗

arXiv2024

Pseudoredundancy for the Bit-Flipping Algorithm

The analysis of the decoding failure rate of the bit-flipping algorithm has received increasing attention. For a binary linear code we consider the minimum number of rows in a parity-check matrix such that the bit-flipping algorithm is able to correct errors up to the minimum distance without any decoding failures. We initiate a study of this bit-flipping redundancy, which is akin to the stopping set, trapping set or pseudocodeword redundancy of binary linear codes, and focus in particular on codes based on finite geometries.

cs.IT↗

arXiv2023

Cryptographic Group and Semigroup Actions

We consider actions of a group or a semigroup on a set, which generalize the setup of discrete logarithm based cryptosystems. Such cryptographic group actions have gained increasing attention recently in the context of isogeny-based cryptography. We introduce generic algorithms for the semigroup action problem and discuss lower and upper bounds. Also, we investigate Pohlig-Hellman type attacks in a general sense. In particular, we consider reductions provided by non-invertible elements in a semigroup, and we deal with subgroups in the case of group actions.

cs.CR↗

arXiv2022

List Decoding of Quaternary Codes in the Lee Metric

We present a list decoding algorithm for quaternary negacyclic codes over the Lee metric. To achieve this result, we use a Sudan-Guruswami type list decoding algorithm for Reed-Solomon codes over certain ring alphabets. Our decoding strategy for negacyclic codes over the ring $\mathbb Z_4$ combines the list decoding algorithm by Wu with the Gröbner basis approach for solving a key equation due to Byrne and Fitzpatrick.

cs.IT↗

arXiv2021

Congruence-simplicity of Steinberg algebras of non-Hausdorff ample groupoids over semifields

We investigate the algebra of an ample groupoid, introduced by Steinberg, over a semifield S. In particular, we obtain a complete characterization of congruence-simpleness for Steinberg algebras of second-countable ample groupoids, extending the well-known characterizations when S is a field. We apply our congruence-simplicity results to tight groupoids of inverse semigroup representations associated to self-similar graphs.

math.RA↗

arXiv2021

Efficient Decoding of Gabidulin Codes over Galois Rings

This paper presents the first decoding algorithm for Gabidulin codes over Galois rings with provable quadratic complexity. The new method consists of two steps: (1) solving a syndrome-based key equation to obtain the annihilator polynomial of the error and therefore the column space of the error, (2) solving a key equation based on the received word in order to reconstruct the error vector. This two-step approach became necessary since standard solutions as the Euclidean algorithm do not properly work over rings.

cs.IT↗

arXiv2020

On Steinberg algebras of Hausdorff ample groupoids over commutative semirings

We investigate the algebra of a Hausdorff ample groupoid, introduced by Steinberg, over a commutative semiring S. In particular, we obtain a complete characterization of congruence-simpleness for such Steinberg algebras, extending the well-known characterizations when S is a field or a commutative ring. We also provide a criterion for the Steinberg algebra of the graph groupoid associated to an arbitrary graph to be congruence-simple. Motivated by a result of Clark and Sims, we show that, over the Boolean semifield, the natural homomorphism from the Leavitt path algebra to the Steinberg algebra is an isomorphism if and only if the associated graph is row-finite. Moreover, we establish the Reduction Theorem and Uniqueness Theorems for Leavitt path algebras of row-finite graphs over the Boolean semifield.

math.RA↗

arXiv2020

Computation of a 30750-Bit Binary Field Discrete Logarithm

This paper reports on the computation of a discrete logarithm in the finite field $\mathbb F_{2^{30750}}$, breaking by a large margin the previous record, which was set in January 2014 by a computation in $\mathbb F_{2^{9234}}$. The present computation made essential use of the elimination step of the quasi-polynomial algorithm due to Granger, Kleinjung and Zumbrägel, and is the first large-scale experiment to truly test and successfully demonstrate its potential when applied recursively, which is when it leads to the stated complexity. It required the equivalent of about 2900 core years on a single core of an Intel Xeon Ivy Bridge processor running at 2.6 GHz, which is comparable to the approximately 3100 core years expended for the discrete logarithm record for prime fields, set in a field of bit-length 795, and demonstrates just how much easier the problem is for this level of computational effort. In order to make the computation feasible we introduced several innovative techniques for the elimination of small degree irreducible elements, which meant that we avoided performing any costly Gröbner basis computations, in contrast to all previous records since early 2013. While such computations are crucial to the $L(\frac 1 4 + o(1))$ complexity algorithms, they were simply too slow for our purposes. Finally, this computation should serve as a serious deterrent to cryptographers who are still proposing to rely on the discrete logarithm security of such finite fields in applications, despite the existence of two quasi-polynomial algorithms and the prospect of even faster algorithms being developed.

math.NT↗

arXiv2018

MacWilliams' extension theorem for infinite rings

Finite Frobenius rings have been characterized as precisely those finite rings satisfying the MacWilliams extension property, by work of Wood. In the present note we offer a generalization of this remarkable result to the realm of Artinian rings. Namely, we prove that a left Artinian ring has the left MacWilliams property if and only if it is left pseudo-injective and its finitary left socle embeds into the semisimple quotient. Providing a topological perspective on the MacWilliams property, we also show that the finitary left socle of a left Artinian ring embeds into the semisimple quotient if and only if it admits a finitarily left torsion-free character, if and only if the Pontryagin dual of the regular left module is almost monothetic. In conclusion, an Artinian ring has the MacWilliams property if and only if it is finitarily Frobenius, i.e., it is quasi-Frobenius and its finitary socle embeds into the semisimple quotient.

math.RA↗

arXiv2018

Towards Collaborative Conceptual Exploration

In domains with high knowledge distribution a natural objective is to create principle foundations for collaborative interactive learning environments. We present a first mathematical characterization of a collaborative learning group, a consortium, based on closure systems of attribute sets and the well-known attribute exploration algorithm from formal concept analysis. To this end, we introduce (weak) local experts for subdomains of a given knowledge domain. These entities are able to refute and potentially accept a given (implicational) query for some closure system that is a restriction of the whole domain. On this we build up a consortial expert and show first insights about the ability of such an expert to answer queries. Furthermore, we depict techniques on how to cope with falsely accepted implications and on combining counterexamples. Using notions from combinatorial design theory we further expand those insights as far as providing first results on the decidability problem if a given consortium is able to explore some target domain. Applications in conceptual knowledge acquisition as well as in collaborative interactive ontology learning are at hand.

cs.AI↗

arXiv2017

The Extension Theorem for Bi-invariant Weights over Frobenius Rings and Frobenius Bimodules

We give a sufficient condition for a bi-invariant weight on a Frobenius bimodule to satisfy the extension property. This condition applies to bi-invariant weights on a finite Frobenius ring as a special case. The complex-valued functions on a Frobenius bimodule are viewed as a module over the semigroup ring of the multiplicative semigroup of the coefficient ring.

math.RA↗

arXiv2017

On congruence-semisimple semirings and the $K_0$-group characterization of ultramatricial algebras over semifields

In this paper, we provide a complete description of congruence-semisimple semirings and introduce the pre-ordered abelian Grothendieck groups $K_0(S)$ and $SK_0(S)$ of the isomorphism classes of the finitely generated projective and strongly projective S-semimodules, respectively, over an arbitrary semiring S. We prove that the $SK_0$-groups and $K_0$-groups are complete invariants of, i.e., completely classify, ultramatricial algebras over a semifield F. Consequently, we show that the $SK_0$-groups completely characterize zerosumfree congruence-semisimple semirings.

math.RA↗

arXiv2016

Profinite algebras and affine boundedness

We prove a characterization of profinite algebras, i.e., topological algebras that are isomorphic to a projective limit of finite discrete algebras. In general profiniteness concerns both the topological and algebraic characteristics of a topological algebra, whereas for topological groups, rings, semigroups, and distributive lattices, profiniteness turns out to be a purely topological property as it is is equivalent to the underlying topological space being a Stone space. Condensing the core idea of those classical results, we introduce the concept of affine boundedness for an arbitrary universal algebra and show that for an affinely bounded topological algebra over a compact signature profiniteness is equivalent to the underlying topological space being a Stone space. Since groups, semigroups, rings, and distributive lattices are indeed affinely bounded algebras over finite signatures, all these known cases arise as special instances of our result. Furthermore, we present some additional applications concerning topological semirings and their modules, as well as distributive associative algebras. We also deduce that any affinely bounded simple compact algebra over a compact signature is either connected or finite. Towards proving the main result, we also establish that any topological algebra is profinite if and only if its underlying space is a Stone space and its translation monoid is equicontinuous.

math.LO↗

arXiv2016

On the discrete logarithm problem in finite fields of fixed characteristic

For $q$ a prime power, the discrete logarithm problem (DLP) in $\mathbb{F}_{q}$ consists in finding, for any $g \in \mathbb{F}_{q}^{\times}$ and $h \in \langle g \rangle$, an integer $x$ such that $g^x = h$. We present an algorithm for computing discrete logarithms with which we prove that for each prime $p$ there exist infinitely many explicit extension fields $\mathbb{F}_{p^n}$ in which the DLP can be solved in expected quasi-polynomial time. Furthermore, subject to a conjecture on the existence of irreducible polynomials of a certain form, the algorithm solves the DLP in all extensions $\mathbb{F}_{p^n}$ in expected quasi-polynomial time.

math.NT↗

arXiv2016

Designs and codes in affine geometry

Classical designs and their (projective) q-analogs can both be viewed as designs in matroids, using the matroid of all subsets of a set and the matroid of linearly independent subsets of a vector space, respectively. Another natural matroid is given by the point sets in general position of an affine space, leading to the concept of an affine design. Accordingly, a t-(n, k, $λ$) affine design of order q is a collection B of (k-1)-dimensional spaces in the affine geometry A = AG(n-1, q) such that each (t-1)-dimensional space in A is contained in exactly $λ$ spaces of B. In the case $λ$ = 1, as usual, one also refers to an affine Steiner system S(t, k, n). In this work we examine the relationship between the affine and the projective q-analogs of designs. The existence of affine Steiner systems with various parameters is shown, including the affine q-analog S(2, 3, 7) of the Fano plane. Moreover, we consider various distances in matroids and geometries, and we discuss the application of codes in affine geometry for error-control in a random network coding scenario.

math.CO↗