Carrier wavelength in the context of Bandwidth (signal processing)

⭐ Core Definition: Carrier wavelength

In telecommunications, a carrier wave, carrier signal, or just carrier, is a periodic waveform (usually sinusoidal) that conveys information through a process called modulation. One or more of the wave's properties, such as amplitude or frequency, are modified by an information bearing signal, called the message signal or modulation signal. The carrier frequency is usually much higher than the message signal frequency because it is usually impractical to transmit signals with low frequencies due to larger wavelength than antenna size.

The purpose of the carrier is usually either to transmit the information through space as an electromagnetic wave (as in radio communication), or to allow several carriers at different frequencies to share a common physical transmission medium by frequency division multiplexing (as in a cable television system).

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Carrier wavelength in the context of Wavelength

In physics and mathematics, wavelength or spatial period of a wave or periodic function is the distance over which the wave's shape repeats. In other words, it is the distance between consecutive corresponding points of the same phase on the wave, such as two adjacent crests, troughs, or zero crossings. Wavelength is a characteristic of both traveling waves and standing waves, as well as other spatial wave patterns. The inverse of the wavelength is called the spatial frequency. Wavelength is commonly designated by the Greek letter lambda (λ). For a modulated wave, wavelength may refer to the carrier wavelength of the signal. The term wavelength may also apply to the repeating envelope of modulated waves or waves formed by interference of several sinusoids.

Assuming a sinusoidal wave moving at a fixed wave speed, wavelength is inversely proportional to the frequency of the wave: waves with higher frequencies have shorter wavelengths, and lower frequencies have longer wavelengths.

View the full Wikipedia page for Wavelength

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Carrier wavelength in the context of Bandwidth (signal processing)

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⭐ Core Definition: Carrier wavelength

Carrier wavelength in the context of Wavelength