Bivariate hermite subdivision

A subdivision scheme for constructing smooth surfaces interpolating scattered data in R³ is proposed. It is also possible to impose derivative constraints in these points. In the case of functional data, i.e., data are given in a properly triangulated set of points {(x_i, y_i)}_i=1^N from which none of the pairs (x_i,y_i) and (x_j,y_j) with i≠j coincide, it is proved that the resulting surface (function) is C¹. The method is based on the construction of a sequence of continuous splines of degree 3. Another subdivision method, based on constructing a sequence of splines of degree 5 which are once differentiable, yields a function which is C² if the data are not ‘too irregular’. Finally the approximation properties of the methods are investigated.