The Application of Digital Signal Processing Methods to Cosmic Ray Anisotropy Data

In analyzing data from the Utah Anisotropy Detector we have abandoned the traditional "harmonic dial" method in favor of discrete Fourier transform (DFT) and related techniques. An important advantage of the approach is that one can tap the vast literature and experience of other fields, notably electrical engineering and radio astronomy. White noise and signal size distributions are predictable. Sidelobe interference can easily be studied. Trend removal techniques have been applied to weather modulation and to sideband suppression in the case of periodic data windows. Special window functions and linear prediction methods ("maximum entropy") have also been studied, with the conclusion that direct DFT methods are preferable.