July 3rd, 2024

The Fourier Transform: What's Wrong with It?

The Fourier Transform is a versatile tool for signal analysis, converting time functions to frequency functions. Practical applications face challenges like accuracy issues and data windowing impact. Understanding limitations is crucial for meaningful results in engineering.

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The Fourier Transform: What's Wrong with It?

The Fourier Transform is a powerful mathematical tool used to analyze signal frequency components, transforming functions of time into functions of frequency. While theoretically perfect, practical applications face limitations and potential inaccuracies. Understanding these challenges is crucial for obtaining meaningful results. Various topics related to Fourier analysis, such as time histories, spectra, filtering operations, Fourier series, and the Fast Fourier Transform, are discussed. The article delves into the complexities of spectral analysis, filter shapes, and the impact of data windowing on Fourier Transform accuracy. Issues like signal continuity, transient signals, and general signal analysis are explored, highlighting the need for creative solutions to address Fourier Transform limitations. The article emphasizes the importance of compensating for these limitations to ensure accurate engineering applications. Overall, while the Fourier Transform is a valuable tool, users must be aware of its constraints and work to mitigate potential errors for reliable results.

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By @sevensor - 7 months
What's wrong with the Fourier Transform is that everybody and her pet rabbit can give you a half-baked explanation of Nyquist, but nobody understands windowing at all.
By @timonoko - 7 months
Wrongness is that nobody bothered to explain what it means. Only 60 years later watching Youtube-video I learned that is was that simple. Mind blown.

Could not find good video for EigenVectors and Nabla and all that shit. So incomprehension prevails.