litenamplitude

Litenamplitude is a term used in signal analysis to describe a waveform whose amplitude is small relative to the reference or operating level of the system. The term appears in some technical discussions and is etymologically a blend of liten, the Scandinavian word for small, and amplitude.

In formal terms, a signal x(t) is considered litenamplitude about an operating point x0 if the perturbation δx(t) = x(t) − x0 has a small magnitude, typically |δx(t)| ≤ ε for a chosen small ε. Under these conditions, nonlinear terms in a system model y = f(x) can be neglected, and first-order (linear) approximations y ≈ f(x0) + f′(x0) δx(t) hold. This is the basis of small-signal analysis.

Applications include electronics and control theory, where it is important to know when a nonlinear system can be treated as linear, acoustics for quiet sounds, and communications for low-amplitude signals that must be processed without introducing significant distortion.

Relation to other concepts: litenamplitude is closely linked to small-signal analysis, linearization, and envelope detection, but its usage is not standardized across fields. Some authors may reserve the term for specific contexts (e.g., audio engineering or microelectronic circuits), while others simply refer to small-amplitude signals using conventional terminology.

See also: small-signal analysis, linearization, amplitude, signal-to-noise ratio. References may include standard texts on small-signal analysis.