High order approximation of rational curves by polynomial curves (Q2432790)

The author shows the existence of polynomial curves which have \(n\) points of geometric contact with a given \(\mathbb R^d\)-valued rational curve \(f(t)=f(t)/g(t)\): For parameters \(t_1<t_2<\cdots<t_n\) and scalars \(\mu_1,\ldots,\mu_n\) there exists an \(\mathbb R^d\)-valued polynomial \(p\) with \(\deg(p)\leq n+\deg(f)+\deg(g)-2\) such that \(p(t_i)=r(t_i)\) and \(p'(t_i)=\mu_i r'(t_i)\), provided \(g\) has no real roots in \([t_0,t_n]\) and no double roots at all. The result extends to interpolating higher derivatives by letting parameters coalesce. These polynomials of degree \(\approx n\) as \(n\) is growing, are shown to have an approximation order of \((t_n-t_1)^{2n}\); they are computable via the Euclidean algorithm. For instance, applying the construction to \(r(t)={1\over 1+t^2}{2\choose 2t}\) leads to Hermite interpolants of a circle which have polynomial degree \(n+1\) and approximation order \(2n\). For special choices of parameters and \(n=2,3\) one retrieves previously known Hermite interpolants of circular arcs.