Wellenanalyse

Wellenanalyse is the systematic analysis of wave phenomena in various domains, including physical waves such as mechanical, acoustic, and electromagnetic waves, as well as signals that can be treated as wave-like. It aims to extract properties like amplitude, phase, frequency content, direction, and energy distribution. The term is used across disciplines such as physics, engineering, geosciences, and signal processing to characterize how waves propagate, interact, and evolve.

The methods of Wellenanalyse include time-domain approaches (sampling, envelope detection, coherence) and frequency-domain techniques (Fourier analysis, power spectra). For signals that change over time, time–frequency methods such as the short-time Fourier transform, wavelet transform, or Hilbert-Huang transform are common. Non-stationary or nonlinear wave behavior often requires these advanced representations to capture transient events and varying spectral content.

Data sources for Wellenanalyse are diverse: microphones and hydrophones for acoustic waves, seismometers and accelerometers for ground and structural vibrations, radar and optical sensors for electromagnetic waves, and specialized instruments in oceanography and meteorology for surface and internal waves. In practice, the analysis yields characteristics like wave height and period in the ocean, frequency bands and spectral energy in acoustics, or radiation patterns and Doppler shifts in RF systems.

Challenges include non-stationarity, noise, nonlinear wave interactions, and incomplete data. Accurate interpretation depends on appropriate preprocessing, model assumptions, and domain-specific knowledge. While related terms such as spectral analysis or wavelet analysis are sometimes used interchangeably, effective Wellenanalyse requires specifying the physical context, chosen methods, and the intended interpretation.