Is Gauss quadrature optimal for analytic functions?

Summary We consider the problem of optimal quadratures for integrandsf: [–1,1] which have an analytic extension to an open diskD _r of radiusr about the origin such that 1 on . Ifr=1, we show that the penalty for sampling the integrand at zeros of the Legendre polynomial of degreen rather than at optimal points, tends to infinity withn. In particular there is an infinite penalty for using Gauss quadrature. On the other hand, ifr>1, Gauss quadrature is almost optimal. These results hold for both the worst-case and asymptotic settings.This research was supported in part by the National Science Foundation under Grants MCS-8203271 and MCS-8303111This research was supported in part by the National Science Foundation under Grant MCS-8923676     

The convergence of spline collocation for strongly elliptic equations on curves

Summary Most boundary element methods for two-dimensional boundary value problems are based on point collocation on the boundary and the use of splines as trial functions. Here we present a unified asymptotic error analysis for even as well as for odd degree splines subordinate to uniform or smoothly graded meshes and prove asymptotic convergence of optimal order. The equations are collocated at the breakpoints for odd degree and the internodal midpoints for even degree splines. The crucial assumption for the generalized boundary integral and integro-differential operators is strong ellipticity. Our analysis is based on simple Fourier expansions. In particular, we extend results by J. Saranen and W.L. Wendland from constant to variable coefficient equations. Our results include the first convergence proof of midpoint collocation with piecewise constant functions, i.e., the panel method for solving systems of Cauchy singular integral equations.Dedicated to Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Lothar Collatz on the occasion of his 75th birthdayThis work was begun at the Technische Hochschule Darmstadt where Professor Arnold was supported by a North Atlantic Treaty Organization Postdoctoral Fellowship. The work of Professor Arnold is supported by NSF grant BMS-8313247. The work of Professor Wendland was supported by the Stiftung Volkswagenwerk     

A three-dimensional quadratic nonconforming element

Summary We define a second-degree nonconforming element on tetrahedra. We build a basis for the opproximation space derived from this element. We prove a discrete regularity property similar to the one that holds for the corresponding two-dimensional element.This work was partly supported by NSERC and by the Ministère de l'Education du Québec     

Discrete mechanics and its application to the solution of the n-body problem

A theory of discrete mechanics is developed based on the results of D. Greenspan. Discrete dynamical equations in an inertial frame, in a coordinate system related to some material point, and in a rotating frame are given and the consistency, stability, and convergence of the methods are studied and some numerical examples presented.     

The exact bound in the Erdös-Ko-Rado theorem

This paper contains a proof of the following result: ifn≧(t+1)(k?t?1), then any family ofk-subsets of ann-set with the property that any two of the subsets meet in at leastt points contains at most \(\left( {\begin{array}{*{20}c} {n - t} \\ {k - t} \\ \end{array} } \right)\) subsets. (By a theorem of P. Frankl, this was known whent≧15.) The bound (t+1)(k-t-1) represents the best possible strengthening of the original 1961 theorem of Erdös, Ko, and Rado which reaches the same conclusion under the hypothesisn≧t+(k?t) \(\left( {\begin{array}{*{20}c} k \\ t \\ \end{array} } \right)^3 \) . Our proof is linear algebraic in nature; it may be considered as an application of Delsarte’s linear programming bound, but somewhat lengthy calculations are required to reach the stated result. (A. Schrijver has previously noticed the relevance of these methods.) Our exposition is self-contained.     

Solution manifolds and submanifolds of parametrized equations and their discretization errors

Summary The paper concerns solution manifolds of nonlinear parameterdependent equations (1)F(u, )=y₀ involving a Fredholm operatorF between (infinite-dimensional) Banach spacesX=Z× andY, and a finitedimensional parameter space . Differntial-geometric ideas are used to discuss the connection between augmented equations and certain onedimensional submanifolds produced by numerical path-tracing procedures. Then, for arbitrary (finite) dimension of , estimates of the error between the solution manifold of (1) and its discretizations are developed. These estimates are shown to be applicable to rather general nonlinear boundaryvalue problems for partial differential equations.This work was in part supported by the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research under Grant 80-0176, the National Science Foundation under Grant MCS-78-05299, and the Office of Naval Research under Contract N-00014-80-C-0455     

Quartic X-splines

Summary The quartic periodic and nonperiodic X-spline are separated from the class of all piecewise-quartic interpolatory polynomials and their orders of convergence, smoothness and complexity of construction are examined. In particular, error estimates of interpolation of smooth functions at uniformly spaced knots by eight quartic X-splines of special interest are presented. The results are illustrated by a numerical example.     

On two methods for accelerating convergence of series

Summary The Euler-Knopp transformation and a recently considered transformation, effective for entire function of order 1, are applied to series involving completely monotonic coefficients. Some properties of the resulting series are analyzed; these include uniform convergence with respect to the index, a priori and a posteriori estimates of the remainder. For the latter transformation a compact recursive algorithm is established which enables one to make effective use of the transformation. To illustrate the effectiveness of the transformations three applications, with examples, are included.     

On cubature formulae with a minimal number of knots

Summary In this paper an approach is outlined to the two-dimensional analogon of the Gaussian quadrature problem. The main results are necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of cubature formulae which are exact for all polynomials of degree m and which have a minimal number of 1/2k(k+1) knots,k=[m/2]+1. Ifm is odd, similar results are due to I.P. Mysovskikh ([5, 6]) which will be derived in a new way as a special case of the general characterization given here. Furthermore, it will be shown how this characterization can be used to construct minimal formulae of even degree.     

Extended iterative methods for the solution of operator equations

Summary Given an iterative methodM ₀, characterized byx ^(k+1=G ₀(x( ^k )) (k0) (x(⁰) prescribed) for the solution of the operator equationF(x)=0, whereF:XX is a given operator andX is a Banach space, it is shown how to obtain a family of methodsM _p characterized byx ^(k+1=G _p (x( ^k )) (k0) (x(⁰) prescribed) with order of convergence higher than that ofM _o. The infinite dimensional multipoint methods of Bosarge and Falb [2] are a special case, in whichM ₀ is Newton's method.Analogues of Theorems 2.3 and 2.36 of [2] are proved for the methodsM _p, which are referred to as extensions ofM ₀. A number of methods with order of convergence greater than two are discussed and existence-convergence theorems for some of them are proved.Finally some computational results are presented which illustrate the behaviour of the methods and their extensions when used to solve systems of nonlinear algebraic equations, and some applications currently being investigated are mentioned.