Counting Polynomial Matrices over Finite Fields : Matrices with Certain Primeness Properties and Applications to Linear Systems and Coding Theory : Matrices with Certain Primeness Properties and Applications to Linear Systems and Coding Theory

Abstract

This dissertation is dealing with three mathematical areas, namely polynomial matrices over finite fields, linear systems and coding theory. Coprimeness properties of polynomial matrices provide criteria for the reachability and observability of interconnected linear systems. Since time-discrete linear systems over finite fields and convolutional codes are basically the same objects, these results could be transfered to criteria for non-catastrophicity of convolutional codes. We calculate the probability that specially structured polynomial matrices are right prime. In particular, formulas for the number of pairwise coprime polynomials and for the number of mutually left coprime polynomial matrices are calculated. This leads to the probability that a parallel connected linear system is reachable and that a parallel connected convolutional codes is non-catastrophic. Moreover, the corresponding probabilities are calculated for other networks of linear systems and convolutional codes, such as series connection. Furthermore, the probabilities that a convolutional codes is MDP and that a clock code is MDS are approximated. Finally, we consider the probability of finding a solution for a linear network coding problem.