Spectral characterization method for signal spectra having spectrally-separated signal peaks

A spectral characterization method for a signal spectrum having least two spectrally-separated signal peaks, comprising:

• identifying the at least two signal peaks within the signal spectrum;
• measuring spectral content of the signal spectrum using a first measurement bandwidth sufficiently wide to encompass each signal peak of the at least two signal peaks;
• designating a signal component of the signal spectrum from the spectral content of the encompassed signal peaks as measured using the first measurement bandwidth;
• measuring spectral content of the signal spectrum using a second measurement bandwidth sufficiently narrow to substantially exclude capture of the at least two signal peaks within at least one interval of spectral separation between the at least two signal peaks;
• and
• designating a noise component of the signal spectrum from the spectral content measured using the second measurement bandwidth over the at least one interval of spectral separation;
• designating a spectral center for each identified signal peak of the at least two signal peaks according to the measured spectral content of the signal spectrum using the first measurement bandwidth;
• assigning a peak amplitude value to each signal peak of the at least two signal peaks;
• extracting a noise level at the spectral center of the at least two signal peaks from amplitude levels at defined spectral offsets from the spectral center;
• and
• calculating the signal-to-noise ratio at the spectral center for at least one signal peak of the at least two signal peaks according to the peak amplitude level and the extracted noise level corresponding to the at least one signal peak.

A spectral characterization method for a signal spectrum having at least two spectrally-separated signal peaks, comprising:

• identifying the at least two signal peaks within the signal spectrum;
• measuring spectral content of the signal spectrum using a first measurement bandwidth sufficiently wide to encompass each signal peak of the at least two signal peaks;
• designating a signal component of the signal spectrum from the spectral content of the encompassed signal peaks as measured using the first measurement bandwidth;
• measuring spectral content of the signal spectrum using a second measurement bandwidth sufficiently narrow to substantially exclude capture of the at least two signal peaks within at least one interval of spectral separation between the at least two signal peaks;
• and
• designating a noise component of the signal spectrum from the spectral content measured using the second measurement bandwidth over the at least one interval of spectral separation;
• designating a spectral center for each identified signal peak of the at least two signal peaks according to the measured spectral content of the signal spectrum using the first measurement bandwidth;
• assigning a peak amplitude value to each signal peak of the at least two signal peaks;
• extracting a noise level at the spectral center of the at least two signal peaks from amplitude levels at defined spectral offsets from the spectral center and within the spectral content measured using the second measurement bandwidth linearly interpolating between amplitude levels at the spectral offsets from the spectral center;
• and calculating the signal-to-noise ratio at the spectral center for at least one signal peak of the at least two signal peaks according to the peak amplitude level and the extracted noise level corresponding to the at least one signal peak.