Bernstein-Bézier techniques for divergence of polynomial spline vector fields in ℝ n

Bernstein-Bezier techniques for analyzing polynomial spline fields in n variables and their divergence are developed. Dimension and a minimal determining set for continuous piecewise divergence-free spline fields on the Alfeld split of a simplex in ℝ n are obtained using the new techniques, as well as the dimension formula for continuous piecewise divergence-free splines on the Alfeld refinement of an arbitrary simplicial partition in ℝ n .