Paper 2013/095

A new index calculus algorithm with complexity $L(1/4+o(1))$ in very small characteristic

Antoine Joux

Abstract

In this paper, we describe a new algorithm for discrete logarithms in small characteristic. This algorithm is based on index calculus and includes two new contributions. The first is a new method for generating multiplicative relations among elements of a small smoothness basis. The second is a new descent strategy that allows us to express the logarithm of an arbitrary finite field element in terms of the logarithm of elements from the smoothness basis. For a small characteristic finite field of size $Q=p^n$, this algorithm achieves heuristic complexity $L_Q(1/4+o(1)).$ For technical reasons, unless $n$ is already a composite with factors of the right size, this is done by embedding $\GF{Q}$ in a small extension $\GF{Q^e}$ with $e\leq 2\lceil \log_p n \rceil$.