Fast Computation of the Roots of Polynomials Over the Ring of Power Series

Abstract: We give an algorithm for computing all roots of polynomials over a univariate power series ring over an exact field $\mathbb{K}$. More precisely, given a precision $d$, and a polynomial $Q$ whose coefficients are power series in $x$, the algorithm computes a representation of all power series $f(x)$ such that $Q(f(x)) = 0 \bmod x^d$. The algorithm works unconditionally, in particular also with multiple roots, where Newton iteration fails. Our main motivation comes from coding theory where instances of this problem arise and multiple roots must be handled. The cost bound for our algorithm matches the worst-case input and output size $d \deg(Q)$, up to logarithmic factors. This improves upon previous algorithms which were quadratic in at least one of $d$ and $\deg(Q)$. Our algorithm is a refinement of a divide & conquer algorithm by Alekhnovich (2005), where the cost of recursive steps is better controlled via the computation of a factor of $Q$ which has a smaller degree while preserving the roots.