A Characterization Theorem of Multivariate Splines in Blossoming Form

Ming-Jun Lai
Department of Mathematics
The University of Utah
Salt Lake City, UT84112
Abstract
It is known that polynomials in m variables of total degree n are equivalent to symmetric polynomials in n variables that are linear in each single variable. This principle,
called the blossoming principle, has applied to the study of multivariate splines in this
paper. For any spline on a simplicial partition 4, a smoothness condition on its polynomial pieces on any two simplices of 4 which may not be adjacent is given. This
smoothness condition presented in blossoming form generalizes the well-known smoothness conditions in B-form.

AMS(MOS) Subject Classi cations: 41A15, 65D10

Keywords and phrases: Multivariate Spline, Smoothness Conditions, Blossoming Form,
Polar Form

1. Introduction

Recently, a new polar approach (or blossoming approach ) to spline curves and surfaces has emerged from the works of de Casteljau and Ramshaw (see de Casteljau'85] and
Ramshaw'89]). This approach successfully reconstructs the standard univariate spline
theory and makes it easier to understand the connection between the de Boor points
and the spline curve, i.e., if
s(x) = biBi;k (x)
X

+1

with b-splines Bi;k (x) of degree k on a given partition fyig is a spline curve, then its
de Boor point bi satis es
+1

bi = Sj (yi ;
+1

; yi n ); 8i j i + n
+

where Sj is the blossom of polynomial piece sj yj ;yj . The de nition of blossom will be
given below. See Barry'90], Lee'89], Seidel'89a], and Seidel'89b] for reference on the
development of the new approach.
In this paper, we use these ideas to study multivariate splines. Given a simplicial
partition 4 of a region R IRm of interest, we let
+1 )

m
n (4) := fs : sj

2 IPn ; 8 2 4g

be the space of piecewise polynomial functions on 4, where IPn denotes the space of all
polynomials of total degree n in m variables. Here we say 4 is a simplicial partition
if it consists of m-simplices satisfying the condition that the intersection of any two
m-simplices from 4 is either empty or is their common k-facet for some 0 k m ? 1.
For each 2 4, let s := sj for any s 2 nm(4). We denote by S the blossom of s .
When s 2 C r(R), there are smoothness relationships among these s 's and hence among
S 's. It is known that when and 0 are adjacent, i.e., \ 0 is their common k-facet,
0 k m ? 1, the Bezier representations of s and s 0 have very graceful relations
called the smoothness conditions. See, e.g., Farin'86], deBoor'87] or Chui and Lai'90].
These smoothness conditions have been successfully used to study multivariate splines:
nding the dimension of multivariate spline spaces, constructing locally supported basis
functions called vertex splines, and determining the full approximation order of the
spline spaces. It is apparent that when and 0 in 4 are not adjacent, s and s 0 should
still have certain smoothness relationships when s 2 C r(R). These relationships need to
be studied and explored in order to better understand multivariate splines. In terms of
blossoming form for spline function s, these relationships can be expressed in an elegant
way. They include the well-known smoothness conditions as a special case. Certainly,

2
These smoothness conditions characterize any spline in Snr (4) := fs 2 nm(4) : s 2
C r(R)g. We may use these conditions to further explore the properties of multivariate
spline functions.
To make this paper self-contained, we include some known results on the blossom of
polynomials in the preliminary section. In Section 3 we then use the blossom form to
study the smoothness conditions of any spline in Snr (4) around each of m-simplex of 4.

2. Preliminary

In this section, we review some basic properties of the blossoming principle. Most of
the following results in this section can be found in Ramshaw'88, 89].
A function f : IR ! IR is called a ne if it satis es

aiui =

aif (ui)

for all real numbers ai's and ui's with ai = 1. A function f : IRm ! IR is called
i
m-a ne if it is a ne with respect to each argument. Also, a function f : IRm ! IR
is called symmetric if it keeps its value under any permutation of its argument. For
ui uik is a
example, the elementary symmetric function k (u ; ; un ) =
i < <ik n
symmetric and n-a ne function.
Theorem 1. (Blossoming Principle)For any multivariate polynomial pn : IRm ! IR of
total degree n, there exists a unique symmetric n-a ne function Pn : IRm
IRm !
n
IR satisfying
Pn (x; ; x) = pn (x); x 2 IRm:
X

{z

n
pn

{z

Here, Pn is called the blossom of and pn is called the polar of Pn . Before giving a
proof of the above theorem, let us point out the connection between the blossom of pn
with its B-form.
Proposition 1.Let pn (x) =
c B ( ) be a polynomial of total degree n with
X

j j=n

respect to an m-simplex hv ;

; v m i. Let Pn be its blossom. Then

(1)

c = Pn (v ;
(1)

;v ;
(1)

{z
1

+1)

;v m ;
(

+1)

; v m ); 8j j = n:
(

{z

m+1

+1)

3
where
and = ( 1 ;
mX
+1

B ( )= j j
;

is the barycentric coordinate of x satisfying x =

m+1 )

mX
+1
i=1

iv

( )

with

= 1.
That is, the B-coe cients c 's of pn are actually the values of its blossom at certain
points. Once Pn is known, the B-form of pn with respect to any m-simplex can be found
easily.
m
m
i with
v
Proof. Since x =
i = 1,
i
i=1

+1
X

+1
X

( )

i=1

i=1

pn (x) = Pn (x;
|

mX
+1

{z

; x)

i Pn (v

i=1
+1
mX
+1 m
X

j j=n

i ; x;

( )

{z
1

n?

i j Pn (v

i=1 j =1

=
=

Pn(v ;
(1)

; x)
}

i ; v(j ); x;

( )

;v ;
(1)

{z

{z
2

n?

; x)
}

;v m ;
(

+1)

; v m )B ( )
(

{z

+1)

m+1

by repeatedly using the a nity and symmetry of Pn with a nal regrouping of terms.
We now give a proof of the blossoming principle.

Proof of The Blossoming Principle

First consider m = 1. Recall that the elementary symmetric function k (u ;

has a property: k (x; ; x) = nk xk . For any polynomial pn of degree n,
1

{z

; un )

1 Dj p (0)xj
n
j j!
Thus, by using the elementary symmetric functions, the blossom Pn of pn can be written
down immediately
n Dj p (0) 1
n
Pn (u ; ; un) =
j ! nj j (u ; ; un):
j
Now let us de ne the multivariate elementary symmetric functions by
(x )ei (x n )ein
(x ; ; x n ) :=

pn (x) =

X
=0

=0

(1)

( )

ei1 +
0

+ein =
i1 ; ;in m

(1)

( )

4
for j j n and 2 ZZm . Here, e := 0 and ei; 1 i m are the standard unit vectors
in IRm. Denote D := @x@ ; ; @x@ . Then for any polynomial pn of total degree n,
0

pn (x) =
Thus, the blossom Pn of pn is
Pn (x ; ; x n ) =

1 D p (0)x :
! n

j j=nm
2zz+

1 D p (0) 1 (x ; ; x n ):
n
n
jj n !
This completes the proof of the blossom principle.
Example 1. The blossom of polynomial
p (x; y) = a + a x + a y + a x + a xy + a y
is given by
P ((u ; v ); (u ; v )) = a + a u +2 u + a v +2 v
+a u u + a u v +2 u v + a v v
To evaluate the blossom Pn of a polynomial pn at point (x ; ; x n ), we may use
the de Casteljau algorithm (version II) as follows.
Let k be the barycentric coordinates of x k with respect to the m-simplex S . Assume
that the B-coe cients of pn with respect to an m-simplex S are known, say, c for j j = n.
Then
DO k = 1; ; n
DO j j = n ? k
m
kc i
c =
e
i
i
END DO
PRINT*, ' Pn at ', (x ; ; x n ) , ' is ', c0
In particular, when x ; ; x n are the same point x, the de Casteljau algorithm
(version II) becomes the original de Casteljau algorithm.
Proposition 2. For any multivariate polynomial pn : IRm ! IR of total degree n, let
Pn : IRm
IRm ! IR be its blossom. Then for any 2 ZZm, the th derivative of pn
n
at x is given by
D pn (x) = (n ?n!j j)!
(?1)j ? j
Pn (x; ; x; x + e ; ; x + e ; ; x + em; ; x + em):
(1)

( )

(1)

( )

1 2

2 1

5 1 2

(1)

( )

( )

+1
X

=1

(1)

(1)

{z

( )

( )

{z

n?j j

} |

{z
1

{z

Proof. Let T be a standard m-simplex, i.e.,

T := f
For u 2 x + T ,

i=1

i
ie :

0; 8i and

1g:

i=1

u = x + e + + m em
= x + (x + e ) + + m(x + em);
1

where

=1?

pn (u) =

j j=n

? m . Then pn can be written as

Pn (x;
|

; x; x + e ;

;x+ e ;

{z

} |

; x + em ;

{z

{z

; x + em)B ( )
}

m+1

where = ( ; ; m) is the barycentric coordinate of u with respect to x + T . Thus

for any 2 ZZm, by using Lemma 2.1.1 in Chui and Lai'90],
m
D pn (x) = (n ?n!j j)!
m ; c n?j j; ; ;
= (n ?n!j j)!
(?1)j ? jc n?j j; ; ; m
0

+1 1 (

21

0)

n!

(?1)j ? j
= (n ? j j)!
Pn (x; ; x; x + e ; ; x + e ;
X

{z

n?j j

} |

where we have borrowed the notation

proof.

{z

; x + em ;
|

ij

{z

; x + em )
}

from Chui and Lai'90]. This completes the

3. Smoothness conditions in Blossoming Form

We now study the smoothness conditions of multivariate splines in terms of the

blossoming form. We rst consider two polynomials pn and qn de ned on two adjacent
m-simplices t and t . Let Pn and Qn be the blossoms of pn and qn, respectively. If they
are joined smoothly up to an order r, Pn and Qn must have some relations. We will call
them the smoothness conditions in blossoming form.
Let t = hv ; ; v k ; v k ; ; v m i and t = hv , ; v k ; u k ; ;
u m i be two m-simplices which share a k-simplex K := hv ; ; v k i. By Proposition 2 in the previous section, D pn (x) = D qn(x); 8j j r and 8x 2 hv ; ; v k i
1

+1)

(1)

( +1)

( +2)

+1)

(1)

(1)

( +1)

( +2)

( +1)

(1)

( +1)

6
if and only if

Pn (x;
|

} |

n?j j

= Qn(x;
|

; x; x + e ;
1

{z

; x; x + e ;

{z

n?j j

} |

;x + e ;
}

;x+ e ;

{z

; x + em )

{z

; x + em )

; x + em ;

{z

; x + em ;

{z

for j j r and x 2 hv ; ; v k i.
It follows that two polynomials pr and qr de ned on x + T through their respective
blossoms
Pr (w ; ; wr ) := Pn (x; ; x; w ; ; wr )
(1)

( +1)

and

Qr(w ;

; wr ) := Qn(x;

{z

n?r

; x; w ;

; wr )

{z

n?r

have the same B-coe cients on x + T , where T is a standard m-simplex as de ned before.
Thus, they are equal. Consequently

Pn(x;
|

; x; w ;
1

{z

n?r

; wr ) = Qn (x;
|

; x; w ;

; wr ):

{z

n?r

Furthermore, since any x 2 K can be written as a convex combinations of

v ; ; v k , we obtain the following conclusion. On the other hand, the conclusion
is also su cient. Thus, we write the results as the following which was obtained in
Ramshaw'89].
Proposition 3. Let pn and qn be two polynomials de ned on t and t respectively and
Pn and Qn be their blossoming forms. Let F (x) = pn(x) if x 2 t and F (x) = qn(x) if
x 2 t . Suppose that t and t share a common k-simplex K . Then F 2 C r(t t ) if
and only if
(1)

( +1)

Pn (v i ; ; v in?r ; w ; ; wr )
= Qn(v i ; ; v in?r ; w ; ; wr )
( 1)

( 1)

for any w1 ; ; wr 2 IRm and i1 ; ; in?r 2 f1; ; k + 1g.

In particular, when k = 0, i.e., when t1 and t2 share a common vertex v(1), F 2
C r(t1 t2) if and only if

Pn (v ;
(1)

for any w ;
1

;v ;w ;
(1)

{z

n?r
; wr 2 IRm.

; wr ) = Qn(v ;
(1)

;v ;w ;
(1)

{z

n?r

; wr )

7
When k = m ? 1, t and t share a common (m ? 1)-facet. As we have seen, F 2
C r(t t ) if and only if
1

Pn (x;
|

+1
X

+1)

; x; w ;

; wr ) = Qn(x;

{z

n?r
; wr 2 IRm and x 2 hv(1);
mX
+1
0
0 (i)
v
with
i = 1. Then
i
i=1

for any w ;
m
um =
(

i=1

Qn(x;
|

In general,

Qn(x;
|

{z

n?

; x; u m ;

j j=r
+1
2zzm
+

Pn (x;
|

+1)

{z

mX
+1

n?r
n?r

;
i Qn (x
|
0

+1)

; x; v i )
( )

{z
1

n?

; x; v ;

;v ;
}

;v m ;

;v ;

;v m ;

(1)

} |

{z

; x; v ;

(1)

} |

{z

; v m )B ( )

{z

; v m )B ( )

+1)

m+1

+1)

{z

+1)

(1)

{z

i=1

+1)

(1)

{z

n?r

;u m )

+1)

} |

n?r
Qn(x| ;

j j=r
+1
2zzm
+

{z
1

; wr )

; v m i. Recall that t = hu m ; K i: Let

; x; u m ) =
(

; x; w ;
1

{z

+1)

m+1

for any x 2 hv ; ; v m i. Since any x can be written as a convex combinatin of

v ; ; v m , we get
(1)

(1)

Qn(v i ;
( 1)

; v in?r ; u m ;
(

+1)

Pn (v i ;

;u m )
(

( 1)

j j=r
+1
2zzm
+

{z

; v in?r ; v ;
(

+1)

(1)

;v ;

;v m ;

(1)

{z

+1)

; v m )B ( )
(

{z

+1)

m+1

which is the well-known smoothness condition (cf. Farin'86, de Boor'87, Chui and
Lai'90]) if we recognize that the values of Pn and Qn at the vertices of t and t are
the B-coe cients of pn and qn.
m
m
j =1
j
i
j
Consider now the general case 0 k m ? 1. Let u =
i
i v with
i
i
for j = k + 2; ; m + 1. Denote by j = ( j ; ; jm ). Then we can use the same idea
as above to derive the following smoothness conditions in blossoming form.
Proposition 4. Suppose that t \ t is a k -simplex K for 0 k m ? 1. Then
F 2 C r (t t ) if and only if for any 2 ZZm with j j r
1

( )

+1
X

+1
X

( )

=1

=1

+1

Qn(v i ;
( 1)

; v in?r ; v ;
(

(1)

+1

;v ;
(1)

{z
1

;v k ;
( +1)

;v k ;
( +1)

{z

k+1

u k ; ;u k ; ;u m ; ;u m )
( +2)

( +2)

{z

k+2

j (i)j= i ;i=k+2; ;m+1

m+1
(i)2z
+

Pn (v i ;

+1)

( +2)

m+1

k+2 )

(1)

+1)

{z

; v in?r ; v ;

( 1)

;v ;

k+2 +

+1)

m+1

;v m )
(

{z

k+2 +
m+1

+ 1

m+1 )

;v m ;

(1)

{z

m+1)(

+1)

m+1
m+1

for i1; ; in?r 2 f1; ; k + 1g. Here (j ) = ( j1 ; ; jm+1 ) for j = k + 2; ; m + 1.

We now study the smoothness conditions between St and St0 for any t and t0 in 4.
Even though t and t0 are not adjacent, St and St0 may still have certain connection. To
this end, we need more notations.
Let V be the collection of all vertices of 4. Fix an m-simplex t0 of 4. De ne L0(t0) =
ft0g and L1(t0) the collection of all m-simplices of 4 which is not t0 and has nonempty
intersection with t0, i.e., L1(t0) := ft 2 4 : t\t0 6= ;gnL0(t0). Inductively, for 1 k r0,
de ne
Lk (t0) = ft 2 4 : t \ t0 6= ; for some t0 2 Lk?1(t0)gnLk?1 (t0);
where
r0 := n ]

n?r
Then for any tk in Lk (t ), there exist at
is the largest integer less than or equal to
least a chain of m-simplices t ; ; tk? such that ti 2 Li(t ); i = 1; ; k and ti \ti 6= ;,
i = 1; ; k ? 1. Clearly t \ t 6= ;: Thus this chain of m-simplices connects t and tk .
We are now in a position to state and prove the following characterization theorem
of splines in Snr (4).
Theorem 2.(Characterization Theorem) Let s 2 Snr (4) and St be the blossom of
s t; 8t 2 4. Then for any tk 2 Lk (t); 1 k r , St and Stk satisfy the kth ring
n
n?r .

+1

smoothness condition:

St(v ; ; ; v ;n?r ; ; vk; ; ; vk;n?r ; x ; ; xn?k n?r )

= Stk (v ; ; ; v ;n?r ; ; vk; ; ; vk;n?r ; x ; ; xn?k n?r )
11

11

for any vi;1; ; vi;n?r 2 ti?1 \ ti \ V for i = 1; ; k, for any x1; ; xn?k(n?r) 2 IRm,
and for any choice of chains ft0; t1; ; tk g connecting t0 := t and tk . On the other hand,
if s 2 nm(4) satis es the kth ring smoothness conditions above for 1 k r0, s is in
Snr (4).
Proof. For t1 2 L1(t0),

St (v ; ;
11

; v ;n?r; w ;
1

; wr ) = St (v ; ;
11

; v ;n?r; w ;
1

; wr )

9
for any v ; ; ; v ;n?r 2 t \ t \ V and any w ; ; wr 2 IRm by using the smoothness
condition in Proposition 3. For t 2 L (t ) for which t \ t 6= ;,
11

St (v ; ;
= St (v ; ;
11

21

; v ;n?r ; v ; ;
; v ;n?r ; v ; ;

11

for any v ; ;

21

21

; v ;n?r ; w ;
; v ;n?r ; w ;
2

; v ;n?r 2 t \ t \ V and for any w ;

2

; v ;n?r ; v ; ;
; v ;n?r ; v ; ;

11

St (v ; ;
= St (v ; ;
11

21

21

; wr? n?r )
; wr? n?r )
(

; wr? n?r 2 IRm. Thus, we get

(

; v ;n?r ; w ;
; v ;n?r ; w ;
2

; wr? n?r )
; wr? n?r )
(

In general, we may use induction and the above argument to complete the proof.
On the other hand, if s 2 nm(4) satis es the kth ring smoothness conditions for
all k r , s satis es the rst ring smoothness coondition which is the well-known
smoothness conditions in blossoming form, i.e., Proposition 3. Thus, s 2 Snr (4).
Example 2. Consider m = 1. Let 4 = fv i : v i < v i ; 8ig. For any spline s 2
Snn? (4), let Si be the blossom of s v i ;v i ; 8i. Then
0

( )

( )

( +1)

( )

Si(v i ;
( +1)

;v i k ;w ;
( + )

( +1) ]

; wn?k ) = Si k (v i ;
+

( +1)

;v i k ;w ;
( + )

; wn?k )

for any w ; ; wn?k 2 IR and 1 k n. This relation has played an important role in
constructing univariate splines as in de Casteljau'85] and Ramshaw'89]. This approach
is quite di erent from the traditional one: b-splines as a basis.
1

? ?? ?? ?? ? ??
?
? ?? ? ?? ?? ?
? ? ? ? ? ?
? ? ? ?? ??
?
?
?
?
? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?
?
? ? ?
?? ?? ?? ?? ?? t ??
? ? ? ?y ?v ? ?
? t
?? ?? x ?? u ??t ?? ??
? ? ? ? ? ? ?
? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
?
? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
3

Figure 1.

10

Example 3. Consider m = 2. Let 4 be a three directional mesh as shown in the above

gure. For any spline s 2 S (4), let St , St and St be the blossom of s t , s t , and s t
2
4

with t , t , and t as indicated in the gure. Then

1

St (x; y; u; v) = St (x; y; u; v);

1

and

St (y; y; v; v) = St (y; y; v; v):

Note that triangles t and t are not adjacent and neither are t and t .
1

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