Algebra and Logic, Vol. 34, No.

~, 1995

L I N E A R R E C U R R I N G S E Q U E N C E S O V E R GALOIS R I N G S
A. S. K u z m i n and A. A. N e c h a e v UDC 512.55

Linear recurrences of mazimal period over a Galois ring and over a residue class ring modulo
p are studied. For any such recurrence, the coordinate sequences (in p-adic and some other
ezpansions) are considered as linear recurring sequences over a finite field. Upper and lower
bounds for the ranks (linear complezities) of these coordinate sequences are obtained. The results
are based on using the properties of Galois rings and the trace-function on such rings.

The paper contains a full account of the results announced in [1].

1. T H E M A I N P R O B L E M S AND RESULTS

Let R : G R ( q n , p ~) be a Galois ring of characteristic p~ consisting of q~ elements [2, 3, 4]; q : p~, e is

the identity, and R* is the multiplicative group of R. We call a monic polynomial F ( x ) E R[:c] reversible if
F(0) • R*. A period T(F) of such F ( x ) i s defined by T(F) = min{t • N: F(x)lz' - e } . If degF(~) = m,
then T ( F ) < (q'~ - 1 ) f -1 [5]. Subject to the condition

T ( F ) = (qm _ 1 ) p , - l , (1.1)

f ( z ) is a polynomial of mazimal period (an MP-polynomia 0 over R.

In the group (R ~ , + ) of all sequences u = (u(0), u ( 1 ) , . . . ) ( u : N0 ~ R), define the structure of an R[x]-
module in the fonowing way: i r A ( x ) = r,a,x" • R[x] and u • R ~, then A ( x ) u = v, where v(i) = ~ a , u ( i + s )
for i > 0. If u • R °° and F ( z ) u = O, u denotes the so-called linear recurring sequence ( L R S ) with the
characteristic polynomial F ( z ) .
Let L R ( F ) = {u 6 R ~ : F ( x ) u = 0}. We say that u is an L R S of maximal period (MR-recurrence) over
R if F ( x ) is an MP-polynomial, u • L R ( F ) , and T(u) = T ( F ) = (qm _ 1)p,~-l.
Let /~ = R / p R . Then /~ = GF(q). We say that K C R is a coordinate subset if the map # : K ---, /~
defined by the rule #(f~) =/~ is a bijection. Under this condition, each element a • R is uniquely represented
as follows:
c~ = g0(a) + --l(c~)p + . . . + x , , _ l ( a ) - p n - 1 g t ( a ) • K, t • 0, n - 1. (1.2)

We say that g t : R --* K , t • 0,n - 1, are coordinate functions (for K). In particular, P(R) : { a • R: a q :
a } is a coordinate set [2, 6] and each a • R has the following representation:

= "~0(a) + ~l(a)p + . . . + "r,- d a ) p "-1, "r,(~) ~ r(R). (1.3)

If R = Zv~, then K = 0,p - 1 is a coordinate set, and for each a • R,

= &o(Ot)q- 51(or)p+... + 5r,_x(c~)p n - l , 6t(cz) e 0,p - 1. (1.4)

Translated from Algebra i Logika, Vol. 34, No. 2, pp. 169-189, March-April, 1995. Original article submitted
December 14, 1993.

0002-5232/95/3402-0087 $12.50 (~) 1995 Plenum Publishing Corporation 87

 Define operations ~ and ® on K by the rule a@]~ = x0(~*fl), where * E {+, .). Then (K, $ , ®) = GF(q)
and the bijection # is a field isomorphism. Define multiplication of elements a E K by elements ~ E R by
the rule ~ a = x 0 ( r a ) . Then K is an/~-algebra, and we may consider each periodic sequence ~ E K°° as an
LRS over the field /~. Denote by M~ (z) the minimal polynomial of the LRS ~ in/~.[z] (the characteristic
polynomial of minimal degree).
Let u be an MP-recurrence from L R ( F ) : T(u) = T(F) = (q'~ - 1)p'~-1. We will consider its coordinate
sequences u0 = 3'0(u),..., u , _ l = 3'~-1(u) obtained from (1.3). We have

~(i) = uo(0 + ~ ( i ) p + . . . + u . _ ~ ( i ) f -~, ,,~ ~ r(s). (1.~)

For the case R : Zr~ we also consider the coordinate sequences v0 = 5o(u),..., v ~ - I : 5,~_~(u) a~ising
from (1.4). We have
~,(i) = ~ o ( O + ~ l ( O p + ... +~._~(i)p "-I, ~(i) ~ 0 , p - 1 j~° ~o~
(if R = Z2,,, then vt = ut for t 6 0, n - 1).
Some of the results are more convenient to formulate for the general case, i.e., for arbitrary coordinate
sequences w0 = x 0 ( u ) , . . . ,w,~-i = x , _ l ( u ) over an arbitrary coordinate set K. The main objects under
study are T(wt), a period of the sequence wt, M,,,(z) E /~[z], a minimal polynomial of wt, and the rank
(linear complexity) which is defined as rank wt = degM~,(z).
Below we reproduce formulations of two well-known results.
Let /~(z) be the image of F(z) E R[z] under the natural epimorphism R[z] ~ / t [ x ] and let ~ be the
congruence modulo F(z) on R[x].
THEOREM 1.1 [5]. A reversible polynomial f ( z ) e R[z] of degree m is an MP-polynomial ff and
only if T(/~) = r with r = q'~ - 1, and

z~. _F e + p ~ ( x ) , d e g ~ ( z ) < ra, (1.7)

where
~(x) # 0 for p > 2 or p = n = 2, ~t.8)
~(~)~{0,~} forp=2<n.
In what follows, F ( x ) is an MP-polynomial, and degF(x) = m. In this case, F(~) has a root ~ in the
Galois extension S = GR(q "~, p'*)of the ring R (see [2, 6]). The group Aut(S/R) of automorphisms of S
over R is the cyclic group of cardinality m:

Aut(S/R) = (p) = {e, p,..., pro-l}.

Let Tr(x) = x + p(x) + . . . + p'~-l(x) be the trace-function from S onto R.

THEOREM 1.2 [6]. For every LRS u E LR(F), there exists a unique constant ~. E S such that

~(i) = T~ff¢) for i >_ 0. (1.9)

Moreover, u is an MP-recurrence if and only if ~ ¢ 0, i.e., f i ¢ 0.

Our main results are based on using some relations between sequences Wo,..., wn-1 and the properties
of functions 7t (Tr(z)). A polynomial over a field is called separable if it has no multiple roots in its splitting
field.
THEOREM 1.3. Let u be an MP-recurrence in LR(F). Then

Moo(X) = ~'(x). (1.10)

88
For every s @ 1, n - 1,
- p'-~+l p~-t
M~,.(x) = F(z) f,,x(x) ... f~j,(z) p'-'-k+I .. f~,v,-t(x), (1.11)

where f,,k(x) is a separable polynomial in R[x], degf,,~ > 0, and

;(~)" f,,~(~) • ... • f,,~,-,(~)l~" - e- (1.12)

The following relations are valid: T(wo) = q m _ 1, rankwo = m, and for s _> 1,

T(w,) = (q'~ - 1)p', rankw, > m(p ~-1 + 1). (1.13)

If R = xv~, then, in the factorization (1.11) for M~, (x), for all t _< s - 2 the polynomials f ~ , l , . . . , f~,v' will
depend only on the sequences v 0 , . . . , v,+l, and
(a) if p = 2, then
f~,j = faj for s >_ 4, j E 1,2; (1.14)
f , j = fzj for s > l > 5, 1 _< j _< 2I-2 - 2 ;
(b) if p > 2, then
f,j=ftj fors>l>3, l_<j<_(p-1)p t-2-2. (1.15)

Let M , N E I~ and I(M, N) = { ( k 0 , . . . , ]eM-1) ~ ~ M : ]e0+lel+...+]eM_ 1 = N, ~0, . . . , ]¢M-1 C 0,p -- 1}.

Put { g } = II(M,~)i. Then by [71,

{M}=E(-1)'(M) (N+M-ps-1) (1.16)

,>o M-1

and { ~ } = O if M ( p - 1 ) < N, i.e., if I(M,N) = O.

Let q = p', and for f < m(p - 1), let ¢ ~ ) ( ~ ) be a polynomial over r(R) = GF(q) o~ the form

1 zf-~(ko+~,~q+...+k=_~q.~-~) (1.17)
~7)(~) = ~ %0! ... k~_~!

If r = 1, i.e., q = p, for brevity we write ~ l ) ( z ) = ~t(z). For a natural k = Ek, • p', k, E 0 , p - 1, put
W(k) = Ek, and define the nonlinearity index 0(A) of the polynomial A ( z l , . . . , z~) = Eail...i,z~t... z i,t by
the equality O(A) = max{W(il) + . . . + W(it): ail...i, # 0}. Then 0(q~ ~)) = pt. Let tr(x) = x ~ zq ~ . . .
z q'~-~ be the trace-function from F(S) = GF(q TM) onto F(R) = GF(q).
THEOREM 1.4. Let R = GR(q'~,f), q = f , and R < S = GR(q'~'~,f). Then 7o(Tr(x)) = tr(7o(z))
and
~l(a~(~)) = *~')(~o(~)) • tr(~l(~)). (1.18)
If R = Ep. (i.e., q = p and r = 1), then, for 1 < t < l o g r ( m ( p - 1)), there exists a polynomial h t ( z o , . . . , ~t)
over R such that O(ht) < pt and

6,(a~(,)) £ ~,(~o(~)) + h,(~o(,),... ,~,(~)), (1.19)

h , ( ~ o ( ~ ) , . .•, ~ , ( ~ ) ) ~~ gt(')'O(X),..., °/t-l(X)) -I- tr('yt (X)),

where ~ is the congruence modulo p.

89
 Applying Theorem 1.4 to the representation of components of the LRS u via (1.9), we can estimate
degft,v,-l(z) for the coordinate sequences ut and vt and refine estimates in terms Qf Theorem !.2. Let
~t = 7t(~), 0t = 7t(8), c = 018o 1, and zt(i) = tr(Tt(~Si)).
THEOREM 1.5. Let u be an MP-recurrence and suppose that (1.9) holds. Then, for i > 0,

Wo(i) £ "o(0 = tr(~oO~), (1.20)

~1(0 = *~')(~o¢o) • t r ( 6 ~ ) • itr(~o,O~), (1,21)

rankul = (m + P - 1 ) + (1.22)

If R = Zp~ and 1 < t < logp(m(p - 1)), then

• i) + for i _> 0,

where Gt(z,y) E r ( s ) i , , v ] , O,(a,(,,v)) < p', and degvGt(z,y ) < p,-X. Moreover, Mz,(z) : # ( x ) p*-'+x,

rankvt > m(pt-l + l)+ { pt ' (1.24)

and if p > 2, then

r a n k v l > m + ( m + ; - 1 ) + ( m + p - 2 ) .P_ (I.25)

THEOREM 1.6. Let R : Xv~, n > 1, m E 1~, and m > 1. Then there exists an MP-polynomia~
F(z) E R[z] such that d e g F ( z ) = m, and for every MP-recurrence u e LR(F), we have
(a) i f p > 2, then, for s E 2,n - 1,

rank v, >__m(pS-l+l)+ E m
i~+1 + p _ _ 1
(v"-1 - p~ + 1) + $
; (1.26)
k=l

(b) if p : 2, then
(1.27)

and for s E 3,n - 1, d : Oog2(m - 2)] - 1,

r a n k v , >_m(2 ' - 1 + 1 ) + 2'-1 +

k=l
2k + x + ! ) (2'-I- 2k + t ) + () 2' ' (1.28)

Whether the second summand on the right-hand side of (1.28) exists in the generM case is not known
(see Sec. 5), but the conjecture complies with the examples for m <_ 14 and m = 20.
Also we obtain some nontrivial upper estimates.
THEOREM 1.7. Let R = •v", n > 1, and F ( z ) be an MP-polynomial in R[z], deg F ( x ) = m > !.
Then, for every u 6 LR(F) and for each s 6 1,n - 1,

f-~-i d1(k)
m
k=o ~r=ao(k)

90
where do(k) = p t - - p k - p + 7rp(k + 1)-Y 1, dl(k) = p t - - p k + 7rp(k), and if k P_--k0 • 0 , p - 1, then 7rp(k) : ko
for k < p - 1; ~rp(k) = k0 + 1 if p = 2 < k; 7rp(k) is the least positive residue of k modulo p - 1 if p > 3 and
k>p.
In some cases, Theorems 1.6 and 1.7 allow us to estimate ranks of coordinate sequences to a high degree
of accuracy. For example, if R : Z2~, then F ( z ) = :~zo+ Z19 _~_20~12__ 2Wll + 2Z10 + Z4 + Za + 2Z2 __ 1 is an
MP-polynomial, and for every MP-recurrence u • L R ( F ) , the inequalities 1.72.105 < rank v3 <_ 2.64.105
and 9.65.105 <_ rankv4 < 4.62.106 hold. If R = Z3~, there exists an MP-polynomial F ( x ) • R[x] of degree
20 such that for every MP-recurrence u • L R ( F ) , 3.128- 10 ~ < rank v2 < 3.128.10 ~ + 2.9.106.
Note that lower bounds for the rank vt have been given in [8] for the case R = Z2~. Those estimates do
not contain the first two summands from (1.28). Estimate (1.28) was obtained by one of the authors in 1982
by using properties of the trace-function on Galois rings and its coordinate functions (see [9]). Estimate
(1.26) was obtained by the other author in 1986 by extending the results of [9] to the case p > 2.
Below we outline the main stages by which proofs of Theorems 1.3-1.6 proceed. We merely sketch proofs
for the lemmas since their detailed proofs would require to much space.

2. P R O O F O F T H E O R E M 1.3

Let rt : (qm _ 1)p~ for t C 0, n - 1.

LEMMA 2.1. For t E 0, n - 1, the following relations are valid:
F
z "~ -- e + pt+l@t+l(:C), deg @t+l(z) < m, @t+l(Z) ~ 0; (2.1)

if p = 2 , then@2(z)--@~-~+@l and@t+1 -- @t f o r t > 2 , (2.2)

p~
i f p > 3, then @t+i(z)-- @t(z) for t~_ I. (2.3)

The lemma is proved by raising the congruence (1,7) to the powers p, p2, . . . .
Let
u(') = cI,,(z)u, w! ') = x , ( u (')) for t E O , n + 1. (2.4)

Then u (t) is the MP'recurrence in LR(F), and by (2.2) and (2.3), we have

if p : 2, then w (t) w (2) for t _> 2, and w~t) : w~3) for t > 3; (2.5)

if p > 2, then w (t) : w(01) for t > 1, and w~t) = w~2) for t ~ 2. (2.6)

It follows from (2.4) that for any t • 0, n - 1 and s E 0, n - 1, the sequences w ( t ) , . . . , w! t) are uniquely
determined from w 0 , . . . , w,.
Let A: K x K -4 K be the function on the field K defined by the equality A ( z , y ) : x1(z -k y).
LEMMA 2.2. There exists a polynomial A(z) • R[z] such that deg ;~(z) < q, xl(7o(z)) p =

and
p-1
A ( z , y ) P--
= ~)-~(--1) ,d~z
I f - , j yP"-'(p-i) + ~(z-I- y ) - )~(z) -- )~(y). (2.7)
,¢=o
_ - p'-p~
In the case R = T~v~ for s ~_ 2 and t E 0, s 2, put v,,t --- (zr° - e) v,.
L E M M A 2.3. The following relations are valid:

( z " - I - ~ ) w , -- W(os) for s > 1 (28)

91
and
( z " - ' - ~)w, = w~'-~) • -a,t w , - ~ , too(s-D,~ ~or ~ _> 2. (2.9)
If R = 2~.~, then, for t _~ 1,

ifs=~+2,
(2.!0)
ifs>t+2;

"0(01)I/1(~ l)[I) i f 8 : 2,
v,,0= ."0(~)/vO).
k,o " ~ '~ v(i)~
~ )e +l(Z)V(o ~) i f s : 3, (2.1i)
vo(2),tVo(1) v~ --
~gv~(1)_ ~1(~)11(02)) if~ > 4.
If R = Z ~ , p > 3, t h e n
(Z.~ -- ~)i) 1 p __,j0(P-1) I V(1) (2.12)
-- ~ 0 '

and for s > 2, ~ ~ 0, s - 2, we have

'Vs,, "-" (?3(01))p-11)t+l (~ l((1)(01))P-I (~ l)(01)(~ Z,,~, (2.i3)

2
where
i f p = 3, t = 0, s > 2,
Zs,t = ~I(Z)2V0 if p : 3, ~ : 0, s : 2, (2.~3)
0 otherwise.
Now Theorem 1.3 can be proved in the following way.
Since F(z)u : 0, we have F(z)wo : 0 and (1.10) is satisfied. From (1.10) and (2.4), it follows tha~
M (,)(z) = F ( z ) . From (2.8) we have the equality

M~.(~) = P(~). (2.14)

(M~, (z), z " - ' - ~)

Note that in the canonical factorization of the polynomial z r'-~ - ~ = (z~o - g ) f - ~ over the field R, F ( x )
has multiplicity pS-1. Hence, by (2.14), in the factorization of M,o,(z), the multiplicity of ~9(~) will be
p,-1 + 1, and any other irreducible polynomial will divide x q ' - I - e and have multiplicity not more than
p,-1. Writing f,,k (x) for the product of all irreducible divisors of M~. (~), whose multiplicity is pS- t _ ]c+ 1~
we see that (1.11) and (1.12) are true. Since T(w,) = T(M~.(x)) and d e g M ~ , ( x ) > (p~-I ÷ 1 ) d e g P ( x ) ,
(1.13) follows from (1.11) and (1.12).
By the definition of %,t, from (1.11) we have

Mvo,,(z) = M~,(z) = F(~)P%{-lf$.l(~)P*"...- fs,r,(w). (2.15)

(M,,.(z), (x ~o - ~)p,-t_p,)
In addition, by (2.5), (2.6) and (2.10)-(2.13), for s > t + 2 we have v,.~ = vt+2.t, whence (1.14) and (1.15).

3. P R O O F OF THEOREM 1.4

We define the polynomial w t(M)t-

~ 1 , . . . ,XM) over R by the equality

.. o.. ~p~-~i~ (3.1)

(il ..... i M ) E I ( M , p ' )

92
 q
P r o p o s i t i o n 3.1. Let ~ : al + ... + aM, ai E r(s), and ai = a,(i) for i E 1, M, where ~" is a
permutation on 1, M. Then a E R and

%(~r) 2_ to!M)(ff) for s E ~,1, i f = ( a z . . . a M ) . (3.2)

If R = Ev= and ~ E N0, 0 < ~ < logv(M(p - 1)), then there exists a polynomial g~M)(~) E R[z-'] such that

xt(o') v__w~M)(ff) + g~M)(ff), degg~M)($.) < pt. (3.3)

P r o o f . According to [2], the element c~ is invariant relative to every automorphism in Aut (S/R); hence
E R. Since w(oM)(~) = z ~ + . . . + ZM, we have

- o ( ~ ) -~ ~o(~) -~ ~ = ~ o(~') (~). (3.4)

Write a~ : ( a ~ , . . . , a ~ ) . Then
~ = ~(oM)(~) + ¢ ~ ( ~ ) , (3.5)
11 iM
where ~ ( ~ ) = E ~; ""%'
i~ ! . . . i ~ ! "
By iterating the procedure of raising this equality to the power p, at
(~...~,,)~x(M,~)
step (r - 1) we obtain
p~ p2 pZ
~ _=~o(~)(~) + ¢~(~f-~) = ~ - wi~)(~) - ~0(~) + p ( ~ ( ~ ) - ~)(~)). (3.6)

Since ¢rq -- ,.fo(~)q = 70(~r), (3.2) follows from (3.6).

For the case R = Zp,, we prove (3.3) by induction on t for all M --
> p-f--
- l " Since ; q ( z ) r 71(z)+;q(70(x)),
P (M),-,
(3.2) and Lemma 2.2 imply that Xl(a) - ~ox tal + )~(a~ + . . . + aM), i.e., (3.3) is valid for t = 1.
l't.-- 1
Suppose that (3.3) holds for t ~ 1, Z - 1, 1 < Z < l o g p ( M ( v - 1)), and let ~ = Z. From a = ~ p%(~)
s----0
we obtain
pt+z l
o "p -- "70(or) -I- EpS~s(3;o(O'),...,"}'s-l(o')), (3.7)
J=2

where ~, (Yo,• .., Us-z) = EC,.o...,.._=y oro . . " , - = E R[~ and

"Ys-1

( ii 1 1 )
(C,o..,._1¢o)~ o,._ zR', ~r~=p, ~ j . , ~ j < s
5=0 j=O
n-1
B y (3.5), for q = p we have ~P : E f%(a) + p!wl(~), from which, by (3.7), it follows that
s~-0

P
"t|(~) --~q-l((P 1)k°IM)(t~)) +xl-l(Az('y0(tr), "yl-l(~))), (3.8)
l 1--1
where At(yD...Y~-I) -- E f - l ~ , , ( ~ _ E ¢ - 1 ~ , .
s----2 s----1
L E M M A 3.2. Let (3.3) hold for t E 0, l - 1 and let h ( y 0 , . . . , Yz-~) be an arbitrary function on R.
T h e n , f o r s e 0 , n - 1, there exists a polynomial hs(g) E R [ z t , . . . , zM] such that

• - h,(~), desh,(~ <p~.

93
 From (3.8) we obtain ~yz(a) p- -xz-l((p - 1)!w~M)(g)) + fl(~), deg f~(~*) ( pt Since xl(~) = ~z(a; +
!--1
-1( E p ~ ( a ) ) , by Lemma 3.2 we have ,~(~) ~ ~1(~) + d(~), degd(~) < pI, and (3.3) with ~ = ! is
k----O
equivalent to the relation

--~-l((p- 1)!~u)(~3) =-' ~ u ) ( ~ + h(~), des h(~) < pl. (3.9)

(3.1) with r : 1 and t : 1 yields the equality

(p_ 1)!~m(~) = bl + . . . + bN, (3.10)

where N : ~ ( M p - M ) , and b = ( b l . . . b/~) are vectors with components of the form

bj=at~...at,, l<tl_<...<tp<M, Q<~p. (3,11)

Therefore, b satisfies the conditions of Proposition 3.1, i.e., bj E I'(S), ~' = (b~,(~),°.., b,p(N)), and by ~he
induction hypothesis,

>¢i-1((p- 1)!w~M)(~)) = ~¢z-l(bl + . .. + blq) =p +

where deg}N)(y~ < p'-'. In view of (3.11), g~N)Cb-') = kCff), deg k(~) < p'. To prove (3.9), it is enough 'Lo
show that
~_/v'l)(b") ~' --w~M)(~.) + g(~.), degg(z~ < p~. (3.12)
Let W,(~I,..., ~u) be the polynomial obt~ed from ~ ) ( # ) by ~,,bstitution:

y~ = zt~...zt,, j ~ 1, N. (3ot3)

[see (3.11)]. Consider ~_m(y-3 and w1(~) as polynomials over Q. A polynomial is called specia~ if each o~
its monomials has one variable with exponent not less than p. Then

w~_~)(~ = ~_---~!
1 (yl + . . . + y~v)~'-~ + C ( y l , . . . , YN), (3.14)

where C ( ~ is a special polynomial of degree p1-~. From (3.10) and (3.13) we have

(~ + . . . + ~ ) = (p- 1)!~')(~) = ~ ((~ +... + ~)~ _ ~ .... _ ~).

In view of the condition pl <_ M(p - 1), (3.14) implies

WI(~) = (pl-I!ppt-a)-I(( ~1 - ~ " " 2t- $ M ) p -- ~Pl - - ' ' " -- ~PM) p'-~ "~- all(~) 7- C'°)~'v~)(~) ~- d2(~'),

where dl(~) and d2(~) are special polynomials of degree p~, and Cl = (pl!)(p~-~!p~'-~) -~. Since C~ is a
p-integer rational number and Cle P we have

-- wi(~) -~')(~) + dz(~).

Since dz(~) is a special polynomial of degree pl, and a,P = a.(0 for i ~ ~ , it follows tha'~ dz(ff) = g(g),
where degg(:~) < pl. Thus (3.13) and Proposition 3.1 are proved.
A consequence of Lemma 3.2 is the following:

94
 COROLLARY 3.3. Proposition 3.1 remains true with ai 6 F(S) replaced by arbitrary functions
a~: S (k) -* r(S).
We need the following lemmas.
n--1
LEMMA 3.4. Let co,...,c,~-i 6 R and d = ~ c, . p ' . If b0 = co, bl = cl + x z ( b 0 ) , . . . , b t =
s=0
ct + xl(bt-1) + . . . + xt(bo), then xt(d) = xo(bt) £ xt(bo) -t- x,-l(bl) + . . . + xl(bt-1) -I- xo(ct) for $ ___>1.
For l 6 N, put R[~ll ] = {g(~') e R[~: deg g(~) < l}, and for arbitrary functions ai: S --, S, i E 1, k, put
ff = (a~,... ,a~) and R[~ll] -- {g(ff): g(~) 6R[~]l]}. For brevity, instead of A ~- g(ff) where g(~) 6 R[~]I],
we write A ~- g(~) 6 R[gll] or A E R[~ll]modp.
LEMMA 3.5. Ifu~, u2 E O , p - 1, ui 6 R[~lll]modp, and l~ _~ 12, then 61(ul + u 2 ) 6 R[~I(p- 1)ll +
l~]modp.
LEMMA 3.6. Let u 6 0 , p - 1, u e R[ff]l]modp, and let v 6 R, (~,(v) 6 R[ff]lop']modp for s 6 0 , n - 1,
lo < I. Then 6s(u + v) 6 R[~lk,]modp, where ko = l a n d k~ = ( ( p - 1 ) / + l o ) f -~ for s >_ 1.
L E M M A 3.7. Suppose u z , . . . , u t 6 0 , p " 1, u~ 6 R[~lmi]modp, and ml >_ m2 >_ ... > mr. Then
6,(ul + . . . + ut) E R[~ln,]modv, where no = ml and n, = ( ( p - 1)m~ + m 2 ) f -1 for s > 1.
LEMMA 3.8. Let dl, d2 6 R, 6s(di) 6 R[fflliP'], and l~ >_ l~. Then 6,(dl + d2) 6 R[ff[llp'] for
sEO, n - 1 .
q~--X %
Write %(£) : ( % ( z ) , % ( z ) q , . . . , % ( z ) ~ for s 6 0, n - 1.
P r o p o s i t i o n 3.9. Under the conditions of Theorem 1.4 we have

7o(T, £
")'l(r~ (Z)) P---(d~m)(~l(;~)) ~- tr (~yl(~C)). (3.16)
If R = T.f. (i.e., q = p) and 1 < t < logp(m(p - 1)), then

P
__=
o(t(rrt (x)) oj~m)(~o($~')) + ft(~o(~),..., ~t_l(~-~) -{- tr ('y,(x)), (3.17)

where ft(zoo.., zorn,, ZlO,..., Zt-lm-1) e R[zlpt-1].

P r o o f . According to [2], T~ (z) = E P' x Tr (7, (z)) and Tr (7, (z)) : 7, (z) + % (z) e + . . . + % (z)q'~-~,
#=0
% ( z ) q" : %(z). The vector #t(~) and parameters m, t satisfy the conditions of Corollary 3.3, and in
the notation of Proposition 3.1, Tr (Tt(z)) : ~('?t(£)). Now (3.15) and (3.16) follow from (3.2) and from
"ro(T~ (z)) ~ Tr (7o(Z)) and ~ I ( T I ( z ) ) p-- "yl(T~ (7o(z)) -~- T~ (71(z))) p "fl(O'('~o(~'))) -~- tr (71(;c)).
Let R : ~p-. Put c, = Tr (%(z)) for s 6 0,n - 1. Then, by Lemma 3.2, if

b0--c0, bl-cl"{-61(bo),...,bt=':5,(bo)'l'6,-1(bl)+...'t-61(bt-1)-t-et, (3.18)

we have
6t(Tt (z)) e___6t(bo)+ 6,-1(bl) + • + 61(b,-x) -I- 6o(c,). (3.19)
e (m) _
By Co,ollaxy 3.3, 6,(bo) w~m)(7o(~) + gt (7o(z)), where g~m)(#o(1)) 6 R[#o(z-')lpe 1]. Moreover,
6o(c d ~ tr(Tt(=)) e R[7d=)[1]: By (3.19), to prove (3.17), it is enough to show that for s > 1, r > 1, and
t = s -t- r, the following r e l a t i o n h o l d s :

6,(b,) e 1)], (3.20)

95
Note that bx = cl + 51(eo), where 6o(cl) E R[~l(Z-~ll]modp, and 51(e0), 61(cl) E R[(%(~),~h(~))ip]modp
by Proposition 3.1. By Lemma 3.4, 6r(bl) 6 R[(%(~),5/a(~))Ip "+x - 1]modp. In particular, (3.20) holds for
t=2.
Let k > 2 and suppose that (3.20) holds for all t < k. We prove it for ~ = k. Assume that s > I. The~
b, = c, + 6x(bs_x) + . . . + 5s-x(bx) + 6s(bo), s < k, and by the induction hypothesis,

61(b,-1)i ..., 6,_1(bl) ~ R[(~o(~),..., %(~))1¢ - llmoap.

By Lemma 3.7, for d, = ifl(bs_,) + . . . + 6,_,(bl) we have

6pCd,,) 6 R[('~o(~),... ,~',(~))ilf(p" - l ) ] m o d p , p E 0,n - 1.

If r," < ~ ( p - I), then 6,(c,) ~ R['~,(~)Ir,"]modp by Coronary 3.3. By Lemma 3.8, for p E ~ we have

6o(c, + d,) ~ ~[(%(~),..., ~,(~)t~'(p" - 1)]modp.

Since ~f,(bo) E R[%(~)Ip'], it follows by Lemma 3.6 that for bs = (ca + d,) + ~,(bo),

5, (b,) ~ R[(%(~),..., ~o(~)lk,]mod V,

where k, = (V'(P- 1 ) + p ' - 1 ) ¢ - ' = (¢+~ - 1 ) ¢ - ' < ¢ .

Relation (3.20) and Proposition 3.9 are proved.
To end the proof of Theorem 1.4, we do the following. Compare (1.17) with (3.1) to obtain w~m)(%(~y))
~lt(7o(z)). Therefore, (3.16)implies (1.18), and (3.17)implies (1.19), where
p~-X
h,(~o,..., ~,) -- g'(~0,..., ~,-,) + pm-X
~, + ~ + . . . +pm--1~, , (3.21)
gt(~O,...,;gt-1) = f(~o,'~, .,X 0 , ~ l , - . . , ; g t _ l )"
Obviously, we can assume that the degree of the polynomial ft(zoo.., z ~ - l m - i ) in each variable is less
than p, and then O(ht(~.)) = deg ft(zoo... ~ t - l m - l ) <( p t

4. P R O O F o r T H E O R E M 1.5

Since Tr(z) L___tr (7o(Z)), (1.20) follows from (1.9). By (1.9), we also have u(i) p~
=_ ~ (ffo+p6)(0o + ~ ) ~ ) ,
Then ?zl(i ) -- ~I(TE (¢00~))@tr (~lO~)@i.tr (6COio),&ha since 70(~o0~) = ~oO~ and 7,(~oa~) = 0, (1.21) follows
from (1.18).
For 1 < l < m(p - 1), write

K(l) = {k = p~-'(ko + k~q + . . . + k,~_~q"-~) : (ko . . . . , k,,~_~) ~ I ( m , / ) } (4,1)

and consider the polynomial F(t)(x) = YI (z - o~o) over I'(S) = GF(q~)o Since ~o is a primitive etemer~
,eK(,)
of the field F(S), F(~)(x)is a separable polynomial of degree { 7 }, f(~)(z) -= R[x], and (F(~)(x), F ( x ) ) : if,
except the case where l = 1, q = p, for which we have F(')(z) = _~(z).
Using (1.21), we can represent the sequence u~ as ul = a (9 b, where a(i) = ¢/~)(~o~), Then M~(z) =
~(~)~.
L E M M A 4.1. Let ( ~ , . . . , aM be different nonsero elements of a field P and let a be a sequence o~ ihe
form a(i) = c,c~ + . . . +c~c~, c , , . . . , c ~ ~ P \ O . Then M~(z) = ( z - a x ) . . . ( z - a~).

96
 From Lemma 4.1, using the definition of a and (1.17), we obtain M~(z) -- F(P)(x) and M,~(z) :
/70')(z)/7(~) 2, proving (1.22).
Now let R = ~ and 1 < ~ < l o g ~ ( m ( p - 1)). Then, in view of (1.9), vt(i) = 8t(Tr (~0i)), and by (1.19),
vt =- at + bi + zt, where
a~i) ~ q~ ~ ~ r
-= ~(~oOo), b~(i) - g,(~o(~O!). . . . ,~,_~ff¢)), ~ _= tr (~,(~¢)). (4.2)

Using Lemma 4.1 and (1.17) with q : p and r : 1, it is not difficult to see that

Mo,(~) : P(¢)(~). (4.3)

Consider the sequence b,j over F(S), with components of the forn2 bs,i(~ ) = "ys(~OiO)p' , and put a, - ~o' for
/G O , m - 1.
L E M M A 4.2. We have Mbo, (x) : z e at and Mb,, (~) ? (~ e cq) p
,-i+l
for s ~_ 1.
P r o o f . The first equality is obvious since bo~(i) : ~ a~ ¢ O. By induction on s > 1, we easily
obtain 8p'-~ p'+~ =_ 19~"- ~ + pSc,, where c, e F(S)\O. Hence bs,(i + pS-~) : 7s(~(8o~"-~ q_ p, cs)Oi)p' :
s--i p~--I
b,,(~)~f • ¢,b01(~) and (~ e ~,) b,, : c, b0,. And we see that the second equa~ty fonows ~rom the first
Since zt ~ bt0 + bti + . . . A- bt,m-i, by Lemma 4.2 we have/~Iz~(z) = I~ (z - ~i~)f - ~ + i , i.e.,
i----O
Mzt(x ) = F(;~)p '-1+1. (4.4)

From (3.17) and (3.21) we obtain bt = gt(bo0,...,bo,m-1,... ,bt-l,m-1), deggt(~) < p t which means
that bt is a linear combination of sequences of the form b,~da ... bsdl~, where d < pt. Using Lemma 4.2 and
the results of [10], we see that all roots of the polynomial Mb,(z) lie in P(S), have multiplicity not more
than p t - 1 and are of the form 80k where W(k) < p t and so k ~ K(pt). This implies that the sequence bt
can be represented as bt(i) ~ G t ( ~ , i), where the polynomial Gt(z, y) satisfies the conclusion of Theorem
1.5. In addition,
( M a , ( z ) , M b , ( z ) M z , ( z ) ) = ~ and Ma,(z)M~,(z)]M,,(z), (4.5)

proving (1.23) and (1.24).

To prove (1.25), we note that by (2.12) and (1.20),

( ~ ' o - + ~ ) ~ = err (~o0~) p-x o ~t~ (6~i0~).

Usin 8 (4.1) with q = p, we arrive at

tr (~°0~)P-z -" E ~ k o ! -"('

. .p.'-- ~ _ 1,~0k(00k)
. . ' (4.6)

Hence, each of the elements 8ko, k E K(p- I), is a root in M,,(z), i.e., ~'(t-i)(z)]M~(z). Since "01 p-- ai+b1+
zi, and in view of (4.2), Ma~(z) -- i~(P)(z) and M~x(z ) = i~(z) 2, it follows that (F(P-I)(z), M~x Mz~)2 ~,
and the relation F(z)ZF(P)(z)F(p-1)(z)[M,,a(z) is implied by (4.5). Hence, rankvl >_ 2m-}- ( p i q- IP-1}:
proving (1.25).

97
 5. P R O O F OF THEOREM 1.6

In what follows we assume that R = gp~. By Theorem 1.3, the polynomial M~.(z) has the form (iA1),
and its splitting field is r ( S ) = GF(p"). By Theorem 1.5, i f p ' < m(p 1), then F ( ) ( z ) [ f , ~ , - ~ ( , ~ ) . Here
we describe some roots ~ of the polynomials f,p,(z) from (1.11) for s arbitrary and for * not *oo great.
Using condition (2.1) with t E I%, put ~ot(z) = ¢1(z) i f p > 3 or (p,t) = (2,0), and ~o,(z) = '}2(z) i f p = 2,
t > 1. We introduce the following notation:

at=~ot(Oo) E r ( s ) , ct(j)= ~ t~ ( ~ ) o~,k E I'(S). (5ol)

keK(p-1)

For j E No, jo,jt... denote coefficientsof the p-adic expansion: j = ~ j A p A, jA E 0--~- I. As was
done in Sects. i and 4, put W(~) = Z ~ and K ( 0 = {3" e 0,¢~ - 1: W(j) = 0. Fo~ ~ : ~ ~ d
j = 2"t + 2~ + 2** + 2"' ~ K(4), define

d(j) = . ~-, , o t ,-,

"rlta 1 1 ,-.
, ot 1 r , ) , where ~(Zl, . .. , ~ )
, ot 1 = (~,)~* ~ ~
z i . ~5.~)
,.

P r o p o s i t i o n 5.1. An element ~ is a root of the polynomial f~,p,(z) in the following cases:

No. Conditions for p, s, Conditions for j f,,,,(og = 0,

if
s E 2 , n - - 1, t E 0, s - 2,
t> lforp=2<s, w ( j ) = ¢+1 + p - 1 **(j) # o
pt+l + p _ 1 < m ( p - 1)
2 p=2, s>3, t=0 w(j) = 4 I d(j)

Both of the cases are proved in the following way. We show that under the specified conditions, 0~ is a
simple root of the minimal polynomial for the LRS vs,t = (z "° - ~)r'-~-P*v,o By [2.15), ~ is therefore a
root of fs,p, (x).
Under the conditions indicated in the first row of the table, we use (2.10)-(2.13) and (2.1)-(2.6) ~o obtain

~,,~(i) = tr (~,~oO'oF-~,+~(i) ~ 4 0 . (5.4)

Denote by L(k) the set of an LRS ( over Ep such that each root of the polynomial M~(z) has the form 0~,
W(j) <_ k. Appealing to the results of [10], it is then easy to see that in (5.4), we have z E L(p ~+1 + p - 2).
Since
tr (c~t(o0~)P-1 = • '

keK(p-~)
(5.4) and (1.23) imply that

v,,t(i) = ( p - 1)[ rk+G&¢ak+~i v'(i),

*kollo!...k,,,_lll~_l!,,o m w o j •
(k,0ex
where v' e L(p t+l + p - 2) and I = {(k,/):k E K ( p - 1), I E K(pt+l), k + t E K(p t÷! + p - I)}. T h e n
I = {(k,l):k E g ( p - 1), I E g(pt+l), and k. + I. = j. E 0 , p - 1 for r E 0 , r n - ~ l } . From this, it is not
hard to obtain

v,,t(i) = ~ jo!...Jm-l! ~ \ko] "'" ~k,,~.1 t (Oj°)!@ v"(i),

jeg(p'+l+p-1) keK(p-1)

98
where v" • L(p T M + p - 2). By a Theorem of Lucas [11], (~0)... (~=::)" -_-' ({), and so (5.2) implies that

,i
~,,,(i) = ~ (p- 1).~o ~, " 0 ~ " , ¢'(i). (5.6)
jo~:.--.jm-----l! tU)t o)
j 6 . K ( p ~+~"+p-- I)

Since v" 6 L(p *+l + p - 2), it follows that for j • K(p t+x + p - 1), the element 8~ is not a root of M,,,(z),
whereas by Lemma 4.1, (5.6) implies that 0~ is a root of M~.,,(z) iff c,(j) # 0, in which case 0~ is a simple
root of M~.,,(z), as desired,
Under the conditions from the second row of the table, in view of (2.11) we have

V,,o=V oO)voO)v l + v ' , v' 6L(3). (5.7)

Note that by (1.20), (2.4), and (2.2) the following relations hold:

Vo('(O = tr(ao~oO~), ,~(o~)(i)= tr(o,~oO~), o. =~o ~ ~o.

Using (5.7) and (1.23) with p = 2 and t = 1, we obtain

,,,,o(0 = ,,~o'(0Vo°)(0 ~ ,~(~) ~,/'(i) = ~d(j)~,j~) e ,/"(0,

~6K(2) j~K(4)

where v", v'" 6 L(3). Proposition 5.1 is proved.

Let N,,t -- N,,t(F) be the number of roots of the polynomial f,.p,(z) described in Proposition 5.1. For
s > 2, Theorems 1.3 and 1.5 imply that
a-2
r a n k ~ ._> ~ ( p . _ ~ + l ) + ~ N .,,( )(p ._i _p, +i,+{p.} m (5.8)
t.----0

[under the assumption that N,,t -- 0 if p¢+1 + p _ 1 > m ( p - 1)]. In view of [K(1)i = { 7 }, Proposition 5.1
implies that if p >_ 3, then

No,t_< f+l+p_l for s 6 2 , n - l l t60, s-2; (5.9)

if p = 2, then

N,,o < (4) for s_> 3, (5.1o)

N,,,_<(2'+1+I) for (s,t) = (2,0), and s62,n-1, t61, s-2. (5.11)
In view of (5.8)-(5.11), to prove Theorem 5.6, it is enough to show that'there exists an MP-polynomial
F(z) 6 R[z] such that (5.9) or, respectively, (5.10) and (5.11) become equalities.
P r o p o s i t i o n 5.2. (5.9) and (5.11) are equalities in the following cases:
(a) if p > 3 and deg ~ l ( z ) = 0;
(b) if p - 2 < s and deg ~2(z) = 0;
(c) i f p : 2, and in (~t, c~, ... , a ~ -1, each subsystem of 2t+l + 1 elements is linearly independent over
GF(2).
P
Proof. By Lucas' theorem, from (5.1) we obtain ct(j) ~ IJo~ako [Jl~a~, /J=-, ~a~=-* where
~¢u(e-x) k k o ] / - ' 0 ~ , k / t . - ' l ... k / , : , , , _ t H - , m _ 1 '~

/~i = ~ . Consequently, ct(j) is the coefficient at z M-(p-I) in the polynomial hi(z) (z ~/~0)J° ... (z

99
/~,n_l) j'~-' of degree M = W(j). By (5.1), under conditions (a) and (c) we have at E V(R)\O, and so
p--I M ~
the fonowing relations will be valid: /30 = . . . =/3,~-1 = a,, hi(x ) = (x ~ a,) M, and c,(j) = a t (r-l)"
Then ct(j) = a~t-1 ¢ 0 for all j e K(p t+l + p - 1), since, according to Lucas, M = pt+l ÷ p _ 1 implies
(pM_l)r (p_1)
p-i
(1) 1. It remains to use Proposition 5.1.
If p -----2, then ct(j) is the coefficientat ~,n-1 in h#(z), i.e.,ct(j) = joat • jla~ e... @ 3~-ia~ o It
fonows by (c) that ifj e K(2 + 1), then c,(j)¢ 0.
Thus, for inequMity (1.26) to be true with p > 2, we need only choose an MP-polynomial F(x) E R{~!,
so that #(z) = ¢~(z) from (1.7) satisfiesthe condition deg ~(z) = 0.
In the case p -- 2 we must choose an MP-polynomial F(~c) E R[z] such that the system of poiynomial~
~(z), ~(z)~,..., ~(z) 2"~-~ is linearlyindependent over GF(2) modulo F(~). Then by (5.1), the system do,
c~,..., a o2,~-I will be linearly independent over GF(2). Since at ---a02 • ao for ~ > 1, each subsystem of
m - 1 elements in the system at, cq2,...,cq is linearlyindependent. Hence, by item (c) of Proposition
5.2, N,,t = (2t+~ + 1) for s > 2 and 2 t+R -}-1 < m -- I, i.e., for 0 < ~ < log2(m -- 2) -- L Consequently,
estimates (1.27) and (1.28) without the summand ('~)2'-I are correct.
In order to prove (1.28),we need only show that for m ~ 4, there existsan MP-polynomial FI~ ) E ~2~I~]
satisfying the above-given condition and such that N,,o(F) = ('~),i.e.,d(j) ~ 0 for all j E K(4). Whether
this is true in the general case is not proved, but the conjecture has been substantiated by the examples
for all m _< 14 and for m : 20, F(x) : x 2° + ~ 9 + 2~12 _ 2 z l l + 2;e10 q_ ;~4 + Z3 + 2~2 _ 1.
To complete the proof of Theorem 1.6, it remains to show that for every ~(z) ~ R[~:] satisfying :~1. 8 ),
there exists an MP-polynomial F ( z ) ~ R[z] satisfying (1.7).
Recall that in [5] it was shown that for every MP-polynomial f ( z ) ~ R[z], there exists a polynomial
such that = and T ( F , ) = T ( I ) .
P r o p o s i t i o n 5.3. Let ~(z) ~ R [ z [ m - 1] and assume that (1.8) holds. If A(z) ~ R [ z l r a - 1] and
Z~(z)/- - z f ( z ) ' ~ ( ~ : ) , then F ( z ) = F . ( z ) + p A ( z ) i s an MP-polynomial, and (1.7) holds.

REFERENCES
1. A. S. Ku~.min and A. A. Nechacv, "Linear recurring sequences over Galois rings," in ~n~ernationa~
Conference on Algebra, Barnaul (1991).
2. A. A. Nechaev, "Finite rings of principal ideals," Mat. Sb., 91, No. 3, 350-366 (1973).
3. R. Radghavendran, "Finite associative rings," Comp. Ma~h., 21~ 195-229 (1969).
4. B. R. McDonald, Finite Rings with Identity, Dekker, New York (1974).
5. A. A. Nechaev, "Cyclic types of linear substitutions over finite commutative local rings," Mat. Sbo~
184, No. 3, 21-56 (1993).
6. A . A. Nechaev, "Kerdock's code in cyclic form," Diskr. Mat., 1, No. 4, 123-139 (1989)o
7. V. N. Sachkov, Combinatorial Methods in Discrete Mathematics [in Russian], Nauka, Moscow (1977),
8. Z. Dai and D. Gollmann, "Lower bounds for the linear complexity of sequences over residue rings,"
in EuroCrypt'90, Aarhus (1990), pp. 175-179.
9. A. A. Nechaev, "Trace-function in a Galois ring and noise-stable codes," in V All- Union Symposium
on Theory of Rings, Algebras, and Modules, Novosibirsk (1982).
10. N. Zierler and W. Mills, "Products of linear recurring sequences," J. Alg., 27, 147-157 (1973).
11. E. R. Berlekamp, Algebraic Coding Theory, McGraw-Hill, New York (1968).

100