Optimal local spline interpolants

Abstract

A constructive proof is given of the existence of a local spline interpolant which also approximates optimally in the sense that its associated operator reproduces polynomials of maximal order. First, it is shown that such an interpolant does not exist for orders higher than the linear case if the partition points of the appropriate spline space coincide with the given interpolation points. Next, in the main result, the desired existence of an optimal local spline interpolant for all orders is proved by increasing, in a specified manner, the set of partition points. Although our interpolant reproduces a more restricted function space than its quasi-interpolant counterpart constructed by De Boor and Fix [1], it has the advantage of interpolating every real function at a given set of points. Finally, we do some explicit calculations in the quadratic case.