English

Translates of completely normal elements and the Morgan-Mullen conjecture

Number Theory 2025-11-21 v3

Abstract

Denote by Fq\mathbb F_q the finite field of order qq and by Fqn\mathbb F_{q^n} its extension of degree nn. Some aFqna\in\mathbb F_{q^n} is called primitive if it generates the multiplicative group Fqn\mathbb F_{q^n}^* and it is called qn/qq^n/q-normal if its Fq\mathbb F_q-conjugates form an Fq\mathbb F_q-basis of Fqn\mathbb F_{q^n} if the latter is viewed as an Fq\mathbb F_q-vector space. Furthermore, some aFqna\in\mathbb F_{q^n} is called qn/qq^n/q-completely normal if it is qn/qdq^n/q^d-normal for all dnd\mid n. In this work we prove a new construction of sets of completely normal elements and, we establish, under conditions, the existence of elements that are simultaneously primitive and qn/qq^n/q-completely normal, covering some yet unresolved cases of a 30-year-old conjecture by Morgan and Mullen.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2509.23245,
  title  = {Translates of completely normal elements and the Morgan-Mullen conjecture},
  author = {Theodoulos Garefalakis and Giorgos Kapetanakis},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2509.23245},
  year   = {2025}
}