Adaptive Polynomial Approximation to Circular Arcs

Abstract

We present a new adaptive method for approximating circular arcs in polynomial form by using the s-power series. Circular arcs can be expressed in infinite series form, we obtain the order-k Hermite interpolant by truncating at the kth term. An upper bound on the error of the interpolant is available, so we can obtain the lowest degree polynomial curve that approximates a circular arc within any user-prescribed tolerance. And this degree can be further reduced through subdivision, which generates a spline approximation with Ck continuity at the joints.