Close to Uniform Prime Number Generation With Fewer Random Bits

In this paper, we analyze several variants of a simple method for generating prime numbers with fewer random bits. To generate a prime $p$ less than $x$, the basic idea is to fix a constant $q\propto x^{1-\varepsilon}$, pick a uniformly random $a<q$ coprime to $q$, and choose $p$ of the form $a+t\cdot q$, where only $t$ is updated if the primality test fails. We prove that variants of this approach provide prime generation algorithms requiring few random bits and whose output distribution is close to uniform, under less and less expensive assumptions: first a relatively strong conjecture by H.L. Montgomery, made precise by Friedlander and Granville; then the Extended Riemann Hypothesis; and finally fully unconditionally using the Barban-Davenport-Halberstam theorem. We argue that this approach has a number of desirable properties compared to previous algorithms.Comment: Full version of ICALP 2014 paper. Alternate version of IACR ePrint Report 2011/48

Nonstandard methods for bounds in differential polynomial rings

Motivated by the problem of the existence of bounds on degrees and orders in checking primality of radical (partial) differential ideals, the nonstandard methods of van den Dries and Schmidt ["Bounds in the theory of polynomial rings over fields. A nonstandard approach.", Inventionnes Mathematicae, 76:77--91, 1984] are here extended to differential polynomial rings over differential fields. Among the standard consequences of this work are: a partial answer to the primality problem, the equivalence of this problem with several others related to the Ritt problem, and the existence of bounds for characteristic sets of minimal prime differential ideals and for the differential Nullstellensatz.Comment: 18 page