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Wiener series

Wiener series is a mathematics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Wiener series rather than just read about it. In short: In mathematics, the Wiener series, or Wiener G-functional expansion, originates from the 1958 book of Norbert Wiener. It is an orthogonal expansion for nonlinear functionals closely related to the Volterra series and having the same relation to it as an orthogonal Hermite polynomial expansion has to a power series.

Key takeaways

  • Wiener series belongs to mathematics; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect Wiener series to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of Wiener series from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

In mathematics, the Wiener series, or Wiener G-functional expansion, originates from the 1958 book of Norbert Wiener. It is an orthogonal expansion for nonlinear functionals closely related to the Volterra series and having the same relation to it as an orthogonal Hermite polynomial expansion has to a power series. For this reason it is also known as the Wiener–Hermite expansion. The analogue of the coefficients are referred to as Wiener kernels. The terms of the series are orthogonal (uncorrelated) with respect to a statistical input of white noise. This property allows the terms to be identified in applications by the Lee–Schetzen method. The Wiener series is important in nonlinear system identification. In this context, the series approximates the functional relation of the output to the entire history of system input at any time. The Wiener series has been applied mostly to the identification of biological systems, especially in neuroscience. The name Wiener series is almost exclusively used in system theory. In the mathematical literature it occurs as the Itô expansion (1951) which has a different form but is entirely equivalent to it. The Wiener series should not be confused with the Wiener filter, which is another algorithm developed by Norbert Wiener used in signal processing.

Wiener G-functional expressions Given a system with an input/output pair ( x ( t ) , y ( t ) ) {\displaystyle (x(t),y(t))} where the input is white noise with zero mean value and power A, we can write the output of the system as sum of a series of Wiener G-functionals

y ( n ) = ∑ p ( G p x ) ( n ) {\displaystyle y(n)=\sum _{p}(G_{p}x)(n)}

In the following the expressions of the G-functionals up to the fifth order will be given:

{{Clarify}}

( G 0 x ) ( n ) = k 0 = E { y ( n ) } ; {\displaystyle (G_{0}x)(n)=k_{0}=E\left\{y(n)\right\};}

( G 1 x ) ( n ) = ∑ τ 1 = 0 N 1 − 1 k 1 ( τ 1 ) x ( n − τ 1 ) ; {\displaystyle (G_{1}x)(n)=\sum _{\tau _{1}=0}^{N_{1}-1}k_{1}(\tau _{1})x(n-\tau _{1});}

( G 2 x ) ( n ) = ∑ τ 1 , τ 2 = 0 N 2 − 1 k 2 ( τ 1 , τ 2 ) x ( n − τ 1 ) x ( n − τ 2 ) − A ∑ τ 1 = 0 N 2 − 1 k 2 ( τ 1 , τ 1 ) ; {\displaystyle (G_{2}x)(n)=\sum _{\tau _{1},\tau _{2}=0}^{N_{2}-1}k_{2}(\tau _{1},\tau _{2})x(n-\tau _{1})x(n-\tau _{2})-A\sum _{\tau _{1}=0}^{N_{2}-1}k_{2}(\tau _{1},\tau _{1});}

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Wiener series

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Wiener series claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In mathematics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Wiener series before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Wiener series ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Wiener series

In research
Wiener series appears in mathematics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses Wiener series in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
Wiener series is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Functional analysis, Series (mathematics), so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for Wiener series outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.
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How to study Wiener series in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what Wiener series means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain Wiener series out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Wiener series in simple terms?

In mathematics, the Wiener series, or Wiener G-functional expansion, originates from the 1958 book of Norbert Wiener. It is an orthogonal expansion for nonlinear functionals closely related to the Volterra series and having the same relation to it as an orthogonal Hermite polynomial expansion has t…

Why does Wiener series matter?

Because it connects several mathematics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Wiener series?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Wiener series.

Tags

  • Functional analysis
  • Series (mathematics)

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