syklustall

Syklustall is a term used to denote the number of complete cycles of a periodic process observed within a specified time window. It serves as a simple quantitative measure of cyclic activity in fields such as engineering, physics, and data analysis.

Origins in Scandinavian languages: The word is formed from the Norwegian or Swedish words syklus (cycle) and tall (number). In practice, syklustall is often used interchangeably with cycle count or, when fractional cycles are considered, with a rate expressed as cycles per unit time.

Calculation and interpretation: If a periodic signal has a period T and the observation window lasts W, the syklustall is W/T, typically rounded down to the nearest whole number for complete cycles. For nonuniform cycles, analysts may estimate the number of cycles using peak detection, zero crossings, or spectral methods and may report a fractional cycle count or a rate.

Applications: In rotating machinery, counting cycles helps assess wear and life expectancy. In signal processing, it provides a measure of repetition rate. In climatology or ecology, it helps quantify seasonal or cyclic phenomena.

Example: A vibration sensor records a cycle every 0.2 seconds. Over a 60-second interval, the syklustall is 60 / 0.2 = 300 cycles.

See also: cycle, frequency, period, phase, cycle counting.