Bernstein-Bézier polynomials on spheres and sphere-like surfaces

Abstract In this paper we discuss a natural way to define barycentric coordinates on general sphere-like surfaces. This leads to a theory of Bernstein-Bezier polynomials which parallels the familiar planar case. Our constructions are based on a study of homogeneous polynomials on trihedra in R 3. The special case of Bernstein-Bezier polynomials on a sphere is considered in detail.