English

A computability challenge: asymptotic bounds and isolated error-correcting codes

Information Theory 2011-07-22 v1 math.IT Numerical Analysis

Abstract

Consider the set of all error--correcting block codes over a fixed alphabet with qq letters. It determines a recursively enumerable set of points in the unit square with coordinates (R,δ)(R,\delta):= {\it (relative transmission rate, relative minimal distance).} Limit points of this set form a closed subset, defined by Rαq(δ)R\le \alpha_q(\delta), where αq(δ)\alpha_q(\delta) is a continuous decreasing function called {\it asymptotic bound.} Its existence was proved by the author in 1981, but all attempts to find an explicit formula for it so far failed. In this note I consider the question whether this function is computable in the sense of constructive mathematics, and discuss some arguments suggesting that the answer might be negative.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1107.4246,
  title  = {A computability challenge: asymptotic bounds and isolated error-correcting codes},
  author = {Yuri I. Manin},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1107.4246},
  year   = {2011}
}

Comments

11 pages

R2 v1 2026-06-21T18:40:00.253Z