Scaling function ($\phi$)

A scaling function generates the approximation space $V_0$ of a multiresolution analysis by its integer translates. In an orthonormal construction those translates form an orthonormal basis, and ${\phi }_{j,k}(x)=2^{j/2}\phi (2^{j}x-k)$ generate $V_j$. Integrable orthonormal scaling functions have $|\hat{\phi }(0)|=1$, as follows from density and the MRA projection Fourier identity.

Nesting in an orthonormal multiresolution analysis expresses a scaling function in the finer-scale orthonormal basis. The associated low-pass symbol is $m(\xi )=2^{-1/2}{\sum }_k{h}_k{e}^{-ik\xi }$, and $\hat{\phi }(2\xi )=m(\xi )\hat{\phi }(\xi )$. If $\phi$ has compact support, only finitely many coefficients $h_k$ are nonzero. With $\hat{\phi }(0)=1$, iteration gives $\hat{\phi }(\xi )={\prod }_{j\ge 1}m(\xi /2^j)$ when the limit exists.

For an orthonormal wavelet refinement filter, ${\sum }_k{h}_k\overline{h_{k-2n}}={\delta }_{n0}$ is equivalent to the displayed identity. A high-pass filter can be chosen with coefficients $g_k=(-1{)}^k\overline{h_{1-k}}$. In frequency, its symbol is $e^{-i\xi }\overline{m(\xi +\pi )}$, up to a constant phase. The two channels split an approximation space into a coarser approximation and its orthogonal complement.

Use $\hat{f}(\xi )=\int f(x)e^{-ix\xi }dx$ and let $P_j$ be the orthogonal projection onto the closed span of the orthonormal translates and dilates of a scaling function. If $\hat{f}$ is supported in $[-R,R]$ and $R<\pi 2^j$, thenIndeed, the Plancherel theorem writes the coefficient against ${\phi }_{j,k}$ as $2^{-j/2}(2\pi {)}^{-1}\int \hat{f}(\xi )\overline{\hat{\phi }(2^{-j}\xi )}{e}^{ik{2}^{-j}\xi }d\xi$. With $\xi =2^j\theta$, these are $2^{j/2}$ times the Fourier series coefficients of $\hat{f}(2^j\theta )\overline{\hat{\phi }(\theta )}$ on $[-\pi ,\pi ]$. The Parseval identity proves the formula. It shows that continuity and unit modulus at zero imply density of the refinement spaces, and conversely that density forces this unit modulus when the Fourier transform is continuous at zero.