On the matrix \([| x_ i-x_ j| ^ 3]\) and the cubic spline continuity equations (Q1107761)

Let \(x_ 1<x_ 2<...<x_ N\) be \(N>1\) given points of \({\mathbb{R}}\). Then each of the functions, \(s_ k(x)=| x-x_ k|^ 3\), \(1\leq k\leq N\), is a twice continuously differentiable piecewise cubic, i.e., a cubic spline. They must, therefore, satisfy the standard spline continuity equations. The application of this simple observation to each of the \(s_ k\) yields a remarkable factorization. Let F and T be the \(N\times N\) matrices given by \(F_{ij}=| x_ i-x_ j|\) and \(T_{ij}=| x_ i-x_ j|^ 3\); then \(T=FCF\). here C is a near tridiagonal \(N\times N\) matrix essentially expressing the \(C^ 2\) continuity of a cubic spline. An easy consequence of this factorization is that T is positive definite on a certain N-2 dimensional subspace of \({\mathbb{R}}^ n\). This latter fact is used to show that T is nonsingular, thus showing that the set of translates, \(\{| x-x_ k|^ 3\}\), is ``unisolvent''.