Definition
A signal is a time-varying pattern carrying information:
s(t) = \text{χ-mode amplitude as function of time}
In SCU terms: A signal is a χ-mode excitation that encodes and transmits information through the α-field.
Signals as χ-Mode Patterns
All physical signals are χ-mode excitations:
| Signal Type | Physical χ-Modes |
|---|---|
| Electromagnetic | Photon χ-modes |
| Acoustic | Mechanical χ-modes |
| Neural | Electrochemical χ-modes |
| Seismic | Earth's mechanical χ-modes |
Signal Types
| Type | Mathematical Form |
|---|---|
| Continuous | $s(t)$ defined for all $t$ |
| Discrete | $s[n]$ at sample times |
| Deterministic | Known χ-mode evolution |
| Random | Statistical χ-mode characterization |
Information in χ-Modes
Shannon information:
I = -\sum_i p_i \log_2 p_i \text{ bits}
Information is χ-mode configuration. Signals transmit χ-mode states from source to receiver.
Signal Properties
| Property | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Amplitude | χ-mode strength |
| Frequency | χ-mode oscillation rate |
| Phase | χ-mode timing |
| Bandwidth | Range of χ-mode frequencies |
Signal Processing
\text{Signal} \xrightarrow{\text{processing}} \text{Extracted information}
Processing manipulates χ-modes to:
- Extract information
- Remove noise
- Transform representations
- Detect patterns
The Key Insight
Signals are χ-mode information carriers.
Every signal is a physical χ-mode pattern:
- Source generates χ-mode excitation
- Medium propagates χ-modes
- Detector measures χ-mode arrival
- Information extracted from χ-mode pattern
When you receive a radio broadcast, photon χ-modes generated at the transmitter propagate through the α-field to your antenna—carrying information encoded in their amplitude and frequency.