Whitney Numbers of Rank-Metric Lattices and Code Enumeration

Abstract

We investigate the Whitney numbers of the first kind of rank-metric lattices, which are closely linked to the open problem of enumerating rank-metric codes having prescribed parameters. We apply methods from the theory of hyperovals and linear sets to compute these Whitney numbers for infinite families of rank-metric lattices. As an application of our results, we prove asymptotic estimates on the density function of certain rank-metric codes that have been conjectured in previous work.