Approximation Theory, Spline Functions and Applications

These are the Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute on Approximation Theory, Spline Functions and Applications held in the Hotel villa del Mare, Maratea, Italy between April 28,1991 and May 9, 1991. The principal aim of the Advanced Study Institute, as reflected in these Proceedings, was to bring together recent and up-to-date developments of the subject, and to give directions for future research. Amongst the main topics covered during this Advanced Study Institute is the subject of uni­ variate and multivariate wavelet decomposition over spline spaces. This is a relatively new area in approximation theory and an increasingly impor­ tant subject. The work involves key techniques in approximation theory­ cardinal splines, B-splines, Euler-Frobenius polynomials, spline spaces with non-uniform knot sequences. A number of scientific applications are also highlighted, most notably applications to signal processing and digital im­ age processing. Developments in the area of approximation of functions examined in the course of our discussions include approximation of periodic phenomena over irregular node distributions, scattered data interpolation, Pade approximants in one and several variables, approximation properties of weighted Chebyshev polynomials, minimax approximations, and the Strang­ Fix conditions and their relation to radial functions. I express my sincere thanks to the members of the Advisory Commit­ tee, Professors B. Beauzamy, E. W. Cheney, J. Meinguet, D. Roux, and G. M. Phillips. My sincere appreciation and thanks go to A. Carbone, E. DePas­ cale, R. Charron, and B.