Bivariate variational splines with monotonicity constraints (Q2479459)

The authors discuss the problem of shape-preserving approximation, based on minimization of a functional on a convex set of functions which are monotone and convex. This method takes into account scattered data. First, a monotone interpolating variational spline in a Sobolev space is defined and studied with respect to existence, uniqueness and characterization. This unique solution related to minimal seminorm interpolating set of scattered data is constructed as a solution of a minimization problem with monotonicity constraints. Then a discrete interpolating variational spline with monotonicity constraints, called discrete pseudo-monotone interpolating variational spline, is defined by discretizing the previous minimization problem on a finite element space. For this new interpolating variational spline, a computing algorithm is studied with respect to the convergence and used in some numerical and graphical examples to prove the effectiveness of the proposed shape preserving approximation method.