Best approximation by periodic smooth functions (with an appendix by D. Davydov) (Q1379574)

Let \(\widetilde W_n\) be the set of \(2\pi\)-periodic functions with absolutely continuous \((n-1)\)th derivatives and \(n\)th derivatives with essential suprema bounded by one, and let \(n>1\). The paper presents the central results of the author's thesis (Univ. Newcastle upon Tyne, 1992): the relations between the zeros, knots and signs of periodic splines with simple knots are analysed and best uniform approximations to a periodic continuous function from \(\widetilde W_n\) are characterised -- the second depending upon the first and the two mediated by functional analytic arguments. \textit{U. Sattes} [Quantitative approximation, Proc. int. Symp., Bonn 1979, 279-289 (1980; Zbl 0457.41018)] obtained a characterisation of best approximations to an \(f\in C([0,1])\) from the set \(W_n([0,1])\) of functions on \([0,1]\) with absolutely continuous \((n-1)\)th derivatives and \(n\)th derivatives essentially bounded by one (the problem was originally proposed by Korneichuk). If \(v_0\in\widetilde C\setminus\widetilde W_n\) and \(u_0\in \widetilde W_n\) is a best approximation to \(v_0\) from \(\widetilde W_n\) then there are two cases. In Case 1 there exists an interval \([a,b]\) on which Sattes's non-periodic condition is satisfied, whereas in Case 2 the situation is essentially periodic, there is a unique best approximation to \(v_0\) from \(\widetilde W_n\) which is a periodic perfect spline, and the characterisation involves conditions which do not appear in the non-periodic problem. (It is shown in the author's thesis that Sattes's result can be obtained directly from the periodic characterisation, but not conversely.) O. V. Davydov who, independently of J. A. Oram, obtained a different characterisation of best approximations from \(\widetilde W_n\) (based upon his characterisation of best approximation by periodic splines with fixed simple knots [Sov. Math. 35, No. 5, 7-14 (1991); translation from Izv. Vyssh. Uchebn. Zaved., Mat. 1991, No. 5(348), 9-16 (1991; Zbl 0749.42003)] contributes an appendix in which his result is stated and the equivalence of the two characterisations is demonstrated..