The problem of finding quantum-error-correcting codes is transformed into the problem of finding additive codes over the field GF(4) which are self-orthogonal with respect to a certain trace inner product. Many new codes and new bounds are presented, as well as a table of upper and lower bounds on such codes of length up to 30 qubits.

Abstract. We present an index-calculus algorithm for the computation of discrete logarithms in the Jacobian of hyperelliptic curves defined over finite fields. The complexity predicts that it is faster than the Rho method for genus greater than 4. To demonstrate the efficiency of our approach, we describe our breaking of a cryptosystem based on a curve of genus 6 recently proposed by Koblitz. 1

We present a “practical ” algorithm to construct random elements of a finite group. We analyse its theoretical behaviour and prove that asymptotically it produces uniformly distributed tuples of elements. We discuss tests to assess its effectiveness and use these to decide when its results are acceptable for some matrix groups. 1 1

We present a new probabilistic method for solving systems of polynomial equations and inequations. Our algorithm computes the equidimensional decomposition of the Zariski closure of the solution set of such systems. Each equidimensional component is encoded by a generic fiber, that is a finite set of points obtained from the intersection of the component with a generic transverse affine subspace. Our algorithm is incremental in the number of equations to be solved. Its complexity is mainly cubic in the maximum of the degrees of the solution sets of the intermediate systems counting multiplicities. Our method is designed for coefficient fields having characteristic zero or big enough with respect to the number of solutions. If the base field is the field of the rational numbers then the resolution is first performed modulo a random prime number after we have applied a random change of coordinates. Then we search for coordinates with small integers and lift the solutions up to the rational numbers. Our implementation is available within our package Kronecker from version 0.166, which is written in the Magma computer algebra system. 1

. We describe some algorithms for computing the cardinality of hyperelliptic curves and their Jacobians over finite fields. They include several methods for obtaining the result modulo small primes and prime powers, in particular an algorithm `a la Schoof for genus 2 using Cantor 's division polynomials. These are combined with a birthday paradox algorithm to calculate the cardinality. Our methods are practical and we give actual results computed using our current implementation. The Jacobian groups we handle are larger than those previously reported in the literature. Introduction In recent years there has been a surge of interest in algorithmic aspects of curves. When presented with any curve, a natural task is to compute the number of points on it with coordinates in some finite field. When the finite field is large this is generally difficult to do. Ren'e Schoof gave a polynomial time algorithm for counting points on elliptic curves i.e., those of genus 1, in his ground-...

Abstract. For counting points of Jacobians of genus 2 curves defined over large prime fields, the best known method is a variant of Schoof’s algorithm. We present several improvements on the algorithms described by Gaudry and Harley in 2000. In particular we rebuild the symmetry that had been broken by the use of Cantor’s division polynomials and design a faster division by 2 and a division by 3. Combined with the algorithm by Matsuo, Chao and Tsujii, our implementation can count the points on a Jacobian of size 164 bits within about one week on a PC. 1

It is shown that if the automorphism group of a binary self-dual code satisfies a certain condition then the code contains words of weight congruent to 2 modulo 4. In particular, no cyclic binary self-dual code can have all its weights divisible by 4. The number of cyclic binary self-dual codes of length n is determined, and the shortest nontrivial code in this class is shown to have length 14. 1.

Extended gcd calculation has a long history and plays an important role in computational number theory and linear algebra. Recent results have shown that finding optimal multipliers in extended gcd calculations is difficult. We present an algorithm which uses lattice basis reduction to produce small integer multipliers x1,..., xm for the equation d = gcd (d1,..., dm) = x1d1 + · · · + xmdm, where d1,..., dm are given integers. The method generalises to produce small unimodular transformation matrices for computing the Hermite normal form of an integer matrix. 1

2. Classical groups and primitive prime divisors...... 121 3. Generic and non-generic parameters........ 123 4. Groups with two different primitive prime divisor elements... 126

ABSTRACT. A 3-manifold is Haken if it contains a topologically essential surface. The Virtual Haken Conjecture says that every irreducible 3-manifold with infinite fundamental group has a finite cover which is Haken. Here, we discuss two interrelated topics concerning this conjecture. First, we describe computer experiments which give strong evidence that the Virtual Haken Conjecture is true for hyperbolic 3-manifolds. We took the complete Hodgson-Weeks census of 10,986 small-volume closed hyperbolic 3-manifolds, and for each of them found finite covers which are Haken. There are interesting and unexplained patterns in the data which may lead to a better understanding of this problem. Second, we discuss a method for transferring the virtual Haken property under Dehn filling. In particular, we show that if a 3-manifold with torus boundary has a Seifert fibered Dehn filling with hyperbolic base orbifold, then most of the Dehn filled manifolds are virtually Haken. We use this to show that every non-trivial Dehn surgery on the figure-8 knot is virtually Haken.