On the Algebraic Structure Underlying the Support Enumerators of Linear Codes
This work addresses the limitation of classical weight distributions in linear codes, which fail to capture coordinate-wise nonzero activity with sufficient granularity. To overcome this, the paper introduces, for the first time, the notions of support distribution and support enumerator, refining the traditional weight distribution to enable a coordinate-level characterization of nonzero symbol occurrences. The authors establish explicit counting formulas for such coordinate-wise activity and derive a MacWilliams-type identity relating the support enumerators of a linear code and its dual. Building on this framework, they formulate an algebraic duality relation for support enumerators and provide a novel criterion for self-dual codes based on the equality of their support distributions. This contribution deepens the structural understanding of linear codes, enriches duality theory at the coordinate level, and offers a new tool for constructing and identifying self-dual codes.