Conditionally positive definite functions and their application to multivariate interpolations (Q1260634)

The author investigates conditionally positive definite functions of given degree \(k\). First, a characterization of these functions is given in terms of integral representations, which also leads to a sufficient condition for strictly conditionally positive definite functions of the same degree. Based on an already existing characterization of radial conditionally positive definite functions of degree \(k\) [\textit{K. Guo}, \textit{S. Hu} and the author, Conditionally positive definite functions and Laplace-Stieltjes integrals, ibid. (to appear)], the author proceeds to a characterization of those radial functions which are in fact strictly conditionally positive definite. In the following, conditions for the smoothness of conditionally positive definite functions are given, establishing along the way that for such functions local smoothness implies global smoothness. Again, the strict case is also covered. Finally, it is described how certain linear combinations of translates of conditionally positive definite functions of degree \(k\) can actually be conditionally positive definite of lower degree.