9	Ripples and blips Fourier Transform

What does it say?

Any pattern in space and time can be thought of as a superposition of sinusoidal patterns with different frequencies.

Why is that important?

The component frequencies can be used to analyse the patterns, create them to order, extract important features, and remove random noise.

What did it lead to?

Fourier’s technique is very widely used, for example in image processing and quantum mechanics. It is used to find the structure of large biological molecules like DNA, to compress image data in digital photography, to clean up old or damaged audio recordings, and to analyse earthquakes. Modern variants are used to store fingerprint data efficiently and to improve medical scanners.