How Does Wave Broadening Affect Amplitude in Dispersive Media?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the relationship between wave broadening and amplitude in dispersive media. It is established that while the periodicity of waves allows them to maintain the same wave shape despite broadening, the amplitude of a pulse does change. In dispersive media, different sine waves travel at varying speeds, altering the pulse shape while keeping the spectral composition constant. This interplay between pulse shape and spectrum is crucial for understanding wave behavior in such environments.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of wave mechanics and periodicity
  • Familiarity with the concept of dispersion in physics
  • Knowledge of sine wave composition and spectral analysis
  • Basic principles of pulse propagation in different media
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the effects of dispersion on wave propagation in various media
  • Study the mathematical representation of wave shapes and spectra
  • Explore the concept of self-modulation in waveforms
  • Investigate practical applications of dispersive media in telecommunications
USEFUL FOR

Students and professionals in physics, particularly those focusing on wave dynamics, as well as engineers working with signal processing and telecommunications who need to understand the effects of dispersion on waveforms.

eahaidar
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I want to ask how does the wave keep the same amplitude if the wave broadens ?
Thank you for your time
 
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Simon Bridge said:
The periodicity of the waves means that as the different frequency waves spread out, they will still add up to the same wave shape. But for a pulse, the amplitude does change.
http://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/Demos/Dispersion/dispersion.html

Thank u I was watching a lecture about self modulation and dispersion I just having a hard time understanding what do they mean when they say pulse shape changes while the spectrum remains the same with distance and vice versa can u elaborate on that ?
Thank you so much
 
The pulse is made of traveling sine waves.
The particular mix of sine waves that go to make the pulse is it's spectrum.

In a dispersive media, the different sine waves travel at different speeds - making the pulse change shape - but the mixture is still the same because the individual sine waves go through all space.

But I'd have to see the comment in context to figure what they mean.

The vice versa of "the pulse shape changes while the spectrum stays the same" would be

"the spectrum changes while the pulse shape stays the same"

... for the pulse shape to stay the same, in a dispersive media, the spectrum must change.
 
Simon Bridge said:
The pulse is made of traveling sine waves.
The particular mix of sine waves that go to make the pulse is it's spectrum.

In a dispersive media, the different sine waves travel at different speeds - making the pulse change shape - but the mixture is still the same because the individual sine waves go through all space.

But I'd have to see the comment in context to figure what they mean.

The vice versa of "the pulse shape changes while the spectrum stays the same" would be

"the spectrum changes while the pulse shape stays the same"

... for the pulse shape to stay the same, in a dispersive media, the spectrum must change.

You are amazing man I really want to thank you so in SPM the spectrum changes while the time pulse stays the same means. That the even though the summation of the pulses is changing the pulses traveling would stay the same?
Thank you so much I hope I understood u correctly
 

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