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I have the give wave-train:

enter image description here

and I extract the given set of points:

points = {{496.04173755848626`, 
    257.544927690344`}, {487.67960442364995`, 
    290.993460229689`}, {474.30019140791205`, 
    319.42471288813226`}, {465.93805827307574`, 
    381.3044980859205`}, {454.23107188430504`, 
    296.01074011059075`}, {449.2137920034032`, 
    227.4412484049335`}, {435.8343789876652`, 
    406.3908974904292`}, {429.1446724797962`, 
    324.441992769034`}, {422.4549659719272`, 
    225.7688217779663`}, {419.1101127179927`, 
    292.66588685665624`}, {405.7306997022548`, 
    408.06332411739646`}, {402.3858464483203`, 
    341.16625903870647`}, {395.6961399404513`, 
    200.68242237345748`}, {392.3512866865168`, 
    294.3383134836235`}, {389.0064334325823`, 
    413.0806039982982`}, {378.9718736707788`, 
    319.42471288813226`}, {378.9718736707788`, 
    314.4074330072305`}, {368.9373139089753`, 
    237.475808166737`}, {357.2303275202046`, 
    403.0460442364947`}, {345.52334113143377`, 
    284.30375372182`}, {340.50606125053207`, 
    334.47655253083747`}, {335.48878136963026`, 
    232.4585282858353`}, {322.10936835389225`, 
    399.70119098256026`}, {315.41966184602325`, 
    322.76956614206676`}, {300.36782220331804`, 
    244.16551467460602`}, {292.00568906848184`, 
    324.441992769034`}, {285.31598256061284`, 
    396.35633772862576`}, {275.28142279880933`, 
    317.752286261165`}, {265.2468630370058`, 
    224.096395150999`}, {256.8847299021695`, 
    401.37361760952746`}, {245.17774351339884`, 
    324.441992769034`}, {241.83289025946434`, 
    212.3894087622283`}, {223.43619736282457`, 
    332.8041259038703`}, {218.41891748192282`, 
    473.2879625691192`}, {216.74649085495557`, 
    322.76956614206676`}, {205.0395044661848`, 
    178.94087622288328`}, {195.0049447043813`, 372.94236495108424`}};

I generate a piecewise constant function by the command:

    Clear[t];
    f[t_] = Piecewise[
       Partition[Sort[points], 2, 
         1] /. {{a_?NumericQ, b_}, {c_, d_}} :> {b, a <= t < c}];
f1[t_] = f[(758.6127179923444` (t + Pi)/Pi)];
Plot[f1[t], {t, -Pi, Pi}]

which is shown below:

enter image description here

However, the Fourier transform gives a disappointing set of peaks that do not reflect the waves related to those points, which we can see the peaks in each interval of the piecewise constant function:

FD[t_] = FourierSeries[f1[t], t, 15];
Plot[{FD[t]}, {t, -3, 3}, PlotRange -> Full]

enter image description here

Increasing the number of Fourier terms, from 15 to 20, does not make things very different. And reducing them, also makes no difference.

Is anyone aware of a way we can get a Fourier series which has a higher number of peaks that is more similar to the peaks of the piecewise constant function?

Can the spacing between each interval be increased? I tried changing the resolution of the original image of the waves where I got those points from, but the plot is always the same.

Thanks

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    $\begingroup$ Your objective is not clear. If you just want a spectrum then Fourier will give you the spectrum very quickly. The spectrum is the amplitude of the sines and cosines that make up your data. You may have to interpolate and get even spacing first. Notes on Fourier here. If you just want the lower frequencies and fewer sines and cosines then you can filter first. $\endgroup$
    – Hugh
    May 12 at 11:06

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
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FD[t_] = FourierSeries[f1[t], t, 150];
Plot[{FD[t]}, {t, -3, 3}, PlotRange -> Full]

enter image description here

Its execution on my comp takes approximately an hour.

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  • $\begingroup$ Thanks user! This was much better than I thought was possible. I will use this method. $\endgroup$
    – Vangsnes
    May 12 at 9:46
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A jump contains arbitrary high frequencies. Further, there is the Gibbs phenomenon, that says that there will be wiggles for any number of Fourier series terms, for higher number of terms, the wiggles will be closer together and will not become infinite small.

To give an example I choose a simpler function f that takes less time to get compute the Fourier series:

fun[t_]= HeavisideTheta[t] - HeavisideTheta[t - 1];
Plot[fun[t],{t,-1,2},PlotStyle->Red]

enter image description here

Do[
 FD[t_] = FourierSeries[fun[t], t, i];
 Plot[{FD[t]}, {t, -3, 3}, PlotRange -> Full] // Print
 , {i, 10, 60, 10}]

enter image description here

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  • $\begingroup$ So there is no chance of getting a real wave set like in the picture i put now in the OP= $\endgroup$
    – Vangsnes
    May 12 at 9:11
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    $\begingroup$ A jump will always create wiggles. If you do not want wiggles, then the slope must nowhere be infinite. $\endgroup$
    – Daniel Huber
    May 12 at 9:19
  • $\begingroup$ So generating a piecewise constant function is not a good idea? $\endgroup$
    – Vangsnes
    May 12 at 9:20
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    $\begingroup$ For a Fourier series-- NO $\endgroup$
    – Daniel Huber
    May 12 at 10:30
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    $\begingroup$ What about "Interpolation" ? $\endgroup$
    – Daniel Huber
    May 12 at 10:55
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With such a function, remember the numerical calculation of the Fourier series. Execution time in this case 1 minute.

<< FourierSeries`
FD[t_] = NFourierSeries[f1[t], t, 150];
Plot[{FD[t]}, {t, -3, 3}, ImageSize -> Medium]

enter image description here

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  • $\begingroup$ Do you get an analytic function out of this? $\endgroup$
    – Vangsnes
    May 12 at 13:17
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Ok, it's a polynomial with 150 terms. If you want a trig function, add FD[t]//ExpToTrig. $\endgroup$
    – rmw
    May 12 at 13:39
  • $\begingroup$ Weird, Ican't get that numerical form of the fourier series to work at all $\endgroup$
    – Vangsnes
    May 12 at 14:28

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