Efficient approximation of minimum energy curves with interpolatory constraints

Abstract

Different methods for the approximation of a set of data points with interpolatory property and appropriate boundary conditions are investigated with respect to the exact energy value. It is found that for a given set of data points on a plane, the 6-point interpolatory subdivision method could be the best choice among the current widely used methods such as cubic splines and exponential splines due to its simplicity, locality, efficiency and most of all, its near-minimum energy property. Examples and graphics are provided to show these properties of the curves produced by the subdivision algorithm. © 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.