Synopsis

#include <boost/math/interpolators/cardinal_quadratic_b_spline.hpp>

namespace boost{ namespace math{ namespace interpolators {

template <class Real>
class cardinal_quadratic_b_spline
{
public:
    // If you don't know the value of the derivative at the endpoints, leave them as NaNs and the routine will estimate them.
    // y[0] = y(a), y[n - 1] = y(b), step_size = (b - a)/(n -1).
    cardinal_quadratic_b_spline(const Real* const y,
                                size_t n,
                                Real t0 /* initial time, left endpoint */,
                                Real h  /*spacing, stepsize*/,
                                Real left_endpoint_derivative = std::numeric_limits<Real>::quiet_NaN(),
                                Real right_endpoint_derivative = std::numeric_limits<Real>::quiet_NaN())

    cardinal_quadratic_b_spline(std::vector<Real> const & y,
                                Real t0 /* initial time, left endpoint */,
                                Real h  /*spacing, stepsize*/,
                                Real left_endpoint_derivative = std::numeric_limits<Real>::quiet_NaN(),
                                Real right_endpoint_derivative = std::numeric_limits<Real>::quiet_NaN())

    Real operator()(Real t) const;

    Real prime(Real t) const;
};
}}}

Cardinal Quadratic B-Spline Interpolation

The cardinal quadratic B-spline interpolator is very nearly the same as the cubic B-spline interpolator, with the modification that the basis functions are constructed by convolving a box function with itself twice, rather than three times as is done with the cubic B-spline.

Since the basis functions are less smooth than the cubic B-spline, you will nearly always wish to use the cubic B-spline interpolator rather than this. However, this interpolator is occasionally useful for approximating functions of reduced smoothness, as hence finds use internally in the Boost.Math library.

It is reasonable to test this interpolator against the cubic b-spline interpolator when you are approximating functions which are two or three times continuously differentiable, but not three or four times differentiable.