Application of Correlation Analysis to the Detection of Periodic Signals in Noise

The first part of this paper is a resumé of correlation analysis. An interpretation of the correlation function of a continuous random process is given in terms of the sum of the products obtained by representing the process as a discrete time series. An electronic correlator capable of performing the necessary mathematical operations to obtain correlation functions is described. The theory of detection of a periodic signal in random noise by the correlation method and a description of the application of the correlator to the theory are presented.