A Generic Approach to Searching for Jacobians

We consider the problem of finding cryptographically suitable Jacobians. By applying a probabilistic generic algorithm to compute the zeta functions of low genus curves drawn from an arbitrary family, we can search for Jacobians containing a large subgroup of prime order. For a suitable distribution of curves, the complexity is subexponential in genus 2, and O(N^{1/12}) in genus 3. We give examples of genus 2 and genus 3 hyperelliptic curves over prime fields with group orders over 180 bits in size, improving previous results. Our approach is particularly effective over low-degree extension fields, where in genus 2 we find Jacobians over F_{p^2) and trace zero varieties over F_{p^3} with near-prime orders up to 372 bits in size. For p = 2^{61}-1, the average time to find a group with 244-bit near-prime order is under an hour on a PC.Comment: 22 pages, to appear in Mathematics of Computatio

On Using Expansions to the Base of -2

This short note investigates the effects of using expansions to the base of -2. The main applications we have in mind are cryptographic protocols, where the crucial operation is computation of scalar multiples. For the recently proposed groups arising from Picard curves this leads to a saving of at least 7% for the computation of an m-fold. For more general non-hyperelliptic genus 3 curves we expect a larger speed-up.Comment: 5 page

Pairings on hyperelliptic curves with a real model

We analyse the efficiency of pairing computations on hyperelliptic curves given by a real model using a balanced divisor at infinity. Several optimisations are proposed and analysed. Genus two curves given by a real model arise when considering pairing friendly groups of order dividing $p^{2}-p+1$. We compare the performance of pairings on such groups in both elliptic and hyperelliptic versions. We conclude that pairings can be efficiently computable in real models of hyperelliptic curves

Computing canonical heights using arithmetic intersection theory

For several applications in the arithmetic of abelian varieties it is important to compute canonical heights. Following Faltings and Hriljac, we show how the canonical height on the Jacobian of a smooth projective curve can be computed using arithmetic intersection theory on a regular model of the curve in practice. In the case of hyperelliptic curves we present a complete algorithm that has been implemented in Magma. Several examples are computed and the behavior of the running time is discussed.Comment: 29 pages. Fixed typos and minor errors, restructured some sections. Added new Example

Point counting on curves using a gonality preserving lift

We study the problem of lifting curves from finite fields to number fields in a genus and gonality preserving way. More precisely, we sketch how this can be done efficiently for curves of gonality at most four, with an in-depth treatment of curves of genus at most five over finite fields of odd characteristic, including an implementation in Magma. We then use such a lift as input to an algorithm due to the second author for computing zeta functions of curves over finite fields using $p$-adic cohomology