Nyquist interval, abbreviated as \( T_N \), is the maximum allowable time spacing between consecutive samples of a continuous signal that still permits the original signal to be reconstructed exactly, provided the signal is band-limited and sampled under ideal conditions. It is derived directly from the sampling requirements established by the Nyquist–Shannon sampling theorem.
Nyquist Interval Formula |
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| \( T_N \;=\; \dfrac{ 1 }{ 2 \cdot f_{max} } \) | ||
| Symbol | English | Metric |
| \( T_N \) = Nyquist Interval | \( sec \) | \( s \) |
| \( f_{max} \) = Highest Frequency Component Present in the Signal | \(Hz\) | \(Hz\) |
Nyquist interval is well established in digital communications engineering, digital signal processing, and related fields. In practice, engineers often sample at rates higher than the Nyquist rate to provide design margin, simplify filter implementation, and reduce sensitivity to non-ideal behavior in real systems. Under the assumptions of the Nyquist–Shannon theorem, however, the Nyquist interval defines the theoretical upper limit on the sampling period that allows perfect reconstruction of a band-limited signal.
