Alternatives to the exponential spline in tension

Abstract

A general setting is given for smooth interpolating splines depending on a parameter such that as this parameter approaches infinity the spline converges to the piecewise linear interpolant. The theory includes the standard exponential spline in tension, a rational spline, and several cubic splines. An algorithm is given for one of the cubics; the parameter for this example controls the spacing of new knots which are introduced.