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fft2df

Performs a two-dimensional forward real discrete Fourier transform (i.e., Fourier analysis) of a real periodic array.

Prototype

	function fft2df (
		x [*][*] : numeric   
	)

Arguments

x

A real or double array of two dimensions. The dimensions may be any size. However, for efficiency reasons, it is recommended that the sizes be even.

Return value

Since this is a real forward transform, only half of the Fourier spectrum of x(M,N) is computed and stored. A three-dimensional array, say coef, containing the real and imaginary parts is returned. Since NCL does not currently support complex numbers, the coefficients are returned as:

         returned: coef(2,M,N/2+1)
        real part: coef(0,:,:)
   imaginary part: coef(1,:,:)
The original sizes of the two dimensional array, (M,N), are returned as attributes of coef.

Description

This function computes the two-dimensional discrete Fourier transform of a real periodic array. This transform is known as the forward transform or Fourier analysis, transforming from physical to spectral space.

The results of fft2df are normalized: a call to fft2df followed by a call to fft2db (or vice-versa) reproduces the original array within roundoff error.

Missing values (denoted by _FillValue) are not allowed. For efficiency reasons, no checking for missing values is performed. Hence, if missing values are present, the results will be erroneous.

Depending upon the problem, the user may wish to preprocess the original data. Commonly, the mean, the linear trend [ dtrend ] and known periodic components are removed: eg, a climatological mean and/or the first several harmonics of the annual cycle. Further, since the fft2df assumes the data are periodic, the user may wish to taper prior to performing the analysis. Consult a book on Fourier Analysis for details.

An old but very readable reference is:

        Peter Bloomfield
        Fourier analysis of time series : An introduction
        New York : John Wiley and Sons  , 1976
A very readable text on real and complex fourier transforms is:
        Steve Smith
        The Scientist and Engineer's Guide to Digital Signal Processing
It is availble at:
        http://www.dspguide.com/pdfbook.htm
NCL uses FFTPACK5 developed by Paul Swarztrauber and Richard Valent. The specific Fortran subroutines used are:
       fft2df:
       http://www2.cisl.ucar.edu/resources/legacy/fft5/documentation#rfft2f.html

       fft2db:
       http://www2.cisl.ucar.edu/resources/legacy/fft5/documentation#rfft2b.html
Please note that Fortran is column major while NCL (like C/C++) is row-major.

See Also

fft2db, ezfftf, ezfftb, cfftf, cfftb, taper, dtrend, specx_anal, specxy_anal

Examples

Example 1

Demonstrate two-dimensional fourier analysis and synthesis.

  N   = 8  
  M   = 3 
  x   = random_normal( 10, 5, (/M,N/) )

                              ; ANALYSIS
  coef = fft2df (x)           ; coef:  [2] x [3] x [5]

  printVarSummary( coef )

  print(sprintf("%9.3f", coef(0,:,:))+"    "+sprintf("%9.3f", coef(1,:,:)) )
                              ; SYNTHESIS
  xNew = fft2db (coef)        ; (M,N)

  xDiff = xNew-x
  xDiff@long_name = "Difference: (xNew-xOrig)"
  print(" ")
  print("max(abs(Diff))="+max(abs(Diff)))
  print(" ")
The (slightly edited) output is:
Variable: coef
Type: float
Total Size: 120 bytes
            30 values
Number of Dimensions: 3
Dimensions and sizes:   [2] x [3] x [5] 
Coordinates:
Number Of Attributes: 2
  M :   3
  N :   8
(0)

           real          imag
           coef(0,:,:)   coef(1,:,:)  freq

(0,0)      11.305        0.000        f=0.0   <===  mean of the input
(0,1)       1.950        1.432        f=0.125 = 1/N
(0,2)      -0.860       -2.598        f=0.25  = 2/N
(0,3)       0.784       -2.750        f=0.375 = 3/N
(0,4)       0.120        0.000        f=0.50  = 4/N

(1,0)       0.884        0.454
(1,1)      -0.191        0.682
(1,2)       0.456        1.876
(1,3)      -0.050       -2.473
(1,4)      -0.152        0.611

(2,0)       0.884       -0.454
(2,1)      -0.323        2.370
(2,2)       0.575       -0.670
(2,3)      -0.880        2.693
(2,4)      -0.152       -0.611
The transform back yields no difference.
(0)     max(abs(xDiff))=9.53674e-07
Example 2

Same as Example 1 but set the overall mean to 0.0 and then synthesize. This would be the 'anomaly' field (ie, the difference from the overall mean).

  coef = fft2df (x)            ; coef:  [2] x [3] x [5]
  coef(0,0,0) = 0.0            ; set mean coef to 0.0
  xNoMean = fft2db(coef)       ; SYNTHESIS
Example 3

Consider a daily climatology P(time,lat,lon): Extract data at 45N and demonstrate how the coefficients returned by fft2df may be altered and then synthesized via fft2db. Since all the longitude values at 45N are extracted and the temporal data are from a climatology, the input data values are periodic in both space and time. Hence, the data need not be pretreated.

  LAT    = 45
                                         ; P(365,72,144)
  p      = P(:,{LAT},:)                  ; extract 45N 
  printVarSummary( p )                   ; p(time,lon)  =>  p(365,144)

  coef = fft2df (p)                      ; coef(2,365,73)  [ ANALYSIS ] 
  printVarSummary(coef)                                       

  coef(:,:,0:3) = 0.0                    ; coef(:,:,0:3) mean and 1st three waves set to 0.0 [removed]
  coef(:,:, 4 ) = coef(:,:, 4)*0.25      ; coef(:,:, 4 ) is set to quarter amplitude
  coef(:,:, 5 ) = coef(:,:, 5)*0.5       ; coef(:,:, 5 ) is set to half amplitude
  coef(:,:, 6 ) = coef(:,:, 6)*0.75      ; coef(:,:, 6 ) is set to three-quarter amplitude
                                         ; coef(:,:,7:8) are not modified
  coef(:,:, 9 ) = coef(:,:, 9)*0.5       ; coef(:,:, 9 ) is set to half amplitude
  coef(:,:,10:) = 0.0                    ; coef(:,:,10:) are set to 0.0 [removed] 

  pNew = fft2db (coef)                   ; pNew(365,144)   [SYNTHESIS]
Example 4

This is a variation of Example 3. A subset of the data is extracted in both time and space. Specifically, 100 time steps and longitudes spanning 100E to 260E at latitude 10N are extracted. The array contains data that not periodic in space or time. Hence, both dimensions of the array should be tapered to minimize "spectral leakage". The taper function works on the rightmost dimension. Hence, it may be necessary to reorder an array. This is best accomplished via NCL's named dimension reordering.

  LAT    = 10
  LONL   = 100
  LONR   = 260

  z      = Z(0:99,{LAT},{LONL:LONR})             
  printVarSummary( z )                         ; z(time,lon)  =>  z(100,65)

  zTaperLon = z                                ; copy to include meta data
  zTaperLon = taper(zTaperLon, 0.1, 0)         ; taper the rightmost dim [lon]

  zTaperLonTime = zTaperLon(lon|:, time|:)     ; reorder:  zTaperLon(lon,time) 
  zTaperLonTime = taper(zTaperLonTime, 0.1, 0) ; taper in time [rightmost dimension]

                                               ; reorder so time is leftmost
  coef = fft2df (zTaperLonTime(time|:,lon|:))  ; coef(2,100,33)   [ ANALYSIS ]
  printVarSummary(coef)

  coef(:,:,0:3) = 0.0                    ; coef(:,:,0:3) mean and 1st three waves set to 0.0 [removed]
  coef(:,:, 4 ) = coef(:,:, 4)*0.25      ; coef(:,:, 4 ) is set to quarter amplitude
  coef(:,:, 5 ) = coef(:,:, 5)*0.5       ; coef(:,:, 5 ) is set to half amplitude
  coef(:,:, 6 ) = coef(:,:, 6)*0.75      ; coef(:,:, 6 ) is set to three-quarter amplitude
                                         ; coef(:,:,7:8) are not modified
  coef(:,:, 9 ) = coef(:,:, 9)*0.5       ; coef(:,:, 9 ) is set to half amplitude
  coef(:,:,10:) = 0.0                    ; coef(:,:,10:) are set to 0.0 [removed]

  zNew = fft2db (coef)                   ; zNew(100,65)    [SYNTHESIS]