Spectrum: Difference between revisions

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The spectrum of a signal, say <math>u(t)</math>, shows how the variance of this signal is distributed with respect to frequency. If the spectrum of <math>u</math> is <math>\Psi(f)</math>, then the spectrum has the property that the variance of <math>u</math> is
The spectrum of a signal, say <math>u(t)</math>, shows how the variance of this signal is distributed with respect to frequency. If the spectrum of <math>u</math> is <math>\Psi(f)</math>, then the spectrum has the property that the variance of <math>u</math> is


<math>\overline{u} = \int_0^{\infty} Psi(f)\, \mathrm{d}f  \ \ .</math>
<math>\overline{u^2} = \int_0^{\infty} \Psi(f)\, \mathrm{d}f  \ \ .</math>


and the variance located between two frequencies <math>f_1</math> and <math>f_2</math> is
and the variance located between two frequencies <math>f_1</math> and <math>f_2</math> is


<math> \int_{f_1}^{f_2} Psi(f)\, \mathrm{d}f  \ \ .</math>
<math> \int_{f_1}^{f_2} \Psi(f)\, \mathrm{d}f  \ \ .</math>
 
The units of frequency can be cyclic such as <math>\mathrm{Hz}</math> (previously called cycles per second, or they can be angular such as <math>\mathrm{rad\, s^{-1}}</math>.
The units should never be expressed as <math>\mathrm{m^{-1}}</math> because this usage is ambiguous, even though the units of radians is technically dimensionless.
These two measures of frequency differ by a factor of <math>2\pi</math}.
 


Thus, the units of a spectrum, <math>\Psi</math> are the square of the units of <math>u</math> per unit of frequency, <math>f</math>.
Thus, the units of a spectrum, <math>\Psi</math> are the square of the units of <math>u</math> per unit of frequency, <math>f</math>.

Revision as of 20:43, 13 July 2021


Short definition of Spectrum
Shows how the variance of a signal is distributed with respect to frequency or wavenumber

This is the common definition for Spectrum, but other definitions maybe discussed within the wiki.


The spectrum of a signal, say [math]\displaystyle{ u(t) }[/math], shows how the variance of this signal is distributed with respect to frequency. If the spectrum of [math]\displaystyle{ u }[/math] is [math]\displaystyle{ \Psi(f) }[/math], then the spectrum has the property that the variance of [math]\displaystyle{ u }[/math] is

[math]\displaystyle{ \overline{u^2} = \int_0^{\infty} \Psi(f)\, \mathrm{d}f \ \ . }[/math]

and the variance located between two frequencies [math]\displaystyle{ f_1 }[/math] and [math]\displaystyle{ f_2 }[/math] is

[math]\displaystyle{ \int_{f_1}^{f_2} \Psi(f)\, \mathrm{d}f \ \ . }[/math]

The units of frequency can be cyclic such as [math]\displaystyle{ \mathrm{Hz} }[/math] (previously called cycles per second, or they can be angular such as [math]\displaystyle{ \mathrm{rad\, s^{-1}} }[/math]. The units should never be expressed as [math]\displaystyle{ \mathrm{m^{-1}} }[/math] because this usage is ambiguous, even though the units of radians is technically dimensionless. These two measures of frequency differ by a factor of [math]\displaystyle{ 2\pi\lt /math}. Thus, the units of a spectrum, \lt math\gt \Psi }[/math] are the square of the units of [math]\displaystyle{ u }[/math] per unit of frequency, [math]\displaystyle{ f }[/math].