Bidiagonal decomposition of totally positive Bernstein-Vandermonde matrices

The class of Bernstein-Vandermonde matrices (a generalization of Vandermonde matrices arising when the monomial basis is replaced by the Bernstein basis) is considered. A convenient ordering of their rows makes these matrices strictly totally positive. By using results related to total positivity and Neville elimination, an algorithm for computing the bidiagonal decomposition of a Bernstein-Vandermonde matrix is constructed. The use of explicit expressions for the determinants involved in the process serves to make the algorithm both fast and accurate. One of the applications of our algorithm is the design of fast and accurate algorithms for solving Lagrange interpolation problems when using the Bernstein basis, an approach useful for the field of Computer Aided Geometric Design since it avoids the stability problems involved with basis transformations between the Bernstein and the monomial bases. A different application consists of the use of the bidiagonal decomposition as an intermediate step of the computation of the eigenvalues and the singular value decomposition of a totally positive Bernstein-Vandermonde matrix. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)