Fourier Integral

 Consider the periodic rectangular wave ƒL(x) of

period 2L > 2 given by

The left part of Fig shows this function for 2L = 4,

8, 16, … as well as the nonperiodic function ƒ(x),
which we obtain from ƒL if we let L → ∞,
 Amplitude Spectrum
 Consider the Fourier coefficients of ƒL as L
increases. Since ƒL is even, bn = 0 for all n. For an,

 This sequence of Fourier coefficients is called the

amplitude spectrum of ƒL because ｜an｜ is the
maximum amplitude of the ancos (nπx/L).
Waveforms and amplitude spectra
 For increasing L these amplitudes become more
and more dense on the positive wn-axis, where wn =
nπ/L.
 For 2L = 4, 8, 16 we have 1, 3, 7 amplitudes per “half-wave”

of the function (2 sin wn)/(Lwn).

 Hence, for 2L = 2k we have 2k-1 – 1 amplitudes per half-

wave.

 These amplitudes will eventually be everywhere dense

on the positive wn-axis (and will decrease to zero).

Applications of Fourier Integrals
Example 2: Single Pulse, Sine Integral
 Find the Fourier integral representation of the
function
 Solution.
 1

 f ( x) cosx  dx    cosx  dx
1 1
A( ) 
  1

sin  x  2 sin 
1

 A( ) 
 1 
B( )  0
2 cos x sin 

f ( x) 
  0

d
 Sine Integral
 The case x = 0 is of particular interest. If x = 0, then

We see that this integral is the limit of the so-called

sine integral

as u → ∞. The graphs of Si(u) and of the integrand

are shown in Fig. 279.
Sine integral Si(u) and integrand
 In the case of the Fourier integral, approximations are
obtained by replacing ∞ by numbers a. Hence the
integral

which approximates ƒ(x).

 Gibbs Phenomenon
 We might expect that these oscillations disappear
as a → ∞. However, with increasing a, they are
shifted closer to the points x = ±1.
 This unexpected behavior is known as the Gibbs
phenomenon.