Convolution theorem

In mathematics, the convolution theorem states that

under suitable conditions the Fourier transform of a
convolution is the pointwise product of Fourier transforms. In other words, convolution in one domain (e.g.,
time domain) equals point-wise multiplication in the
other domain (e.g., frequency domain). Versions of
the convolution theorem are true for various Fourierrelated transforms. Let f and g be two functions with
convolution f g . (Note that the asterisk denotes convolution in this context, and not multiplication. The tensor
product symbol is sometimes used instead.) Let F denote the Fourier transform operator, so F{f } and F{g}
are the Fourier transforms of f and g , respectively.
Then

Fourier transform, the complexity of the convolution can

be reduced to O(n log n). This can be exploited to construct fast multiplication algorithms.

F{f g} = F{f } F{g}

F () = F{f } =

1 Proof
The proof here is shown for a particular normalization of
the Fourier transform. As mentioned above, if the transform is normalized dierently, then constant scaling factors will appear in the derivation.
Let f, g belong to L1 (Rn ). Let F be the Fourier transform
of f and G be the Fourier transform of g :

where denotes point-wise multiplication. It also works

the other way around:

G() = F{g} =

f (x)e2ix dx
Rn

g(x)e2ix dx,

Rn

where the dot between x and indicates the inner product

of Rn . Let h be the convolution of f and g

F{f g} = F{f } F{g}

By applying the inverse Fourier transform F 1 , we can
write:

f (x)g(z x) dx.

h(z) =
Rn

{
}
f g = F 1 F{f } F{g}

Now notice that

and:

f g =F

{
1

|f (x)g(zx)| dz dx =

}
F{f } F{g}

|f (x)|

|g(zx)| dz dx =

1
n
Note that the relationships above are only valid for the Hence by Fubinis theorem we have that h L (R ) so
form of the Fourier transform shown in the Proof section its Fourier transform H is dened by the integral formula
below. The transform may be normalized in other ways,
in

which case constant scaling factors (typically 2 or

2 ) will appear in the relationships above.
H() = F{h} =
h(z)e2iz dz
n
R
This theorem also holds for the Laplace transform, the
two-sided Laplace transform and, when suitably modi=
f (x)g(z x) dx e2iz dz.
n
n
R
R
ed, for the Mellin transform and Hartley transform (see
Mellin inversion theorem). It can be extended to the
Observe that |f (x)g(z x)e2iz | = |f (x)g(z x)|
Fourier transform of abstract harmonic analysis dened
and hence by the argument above we may apply Fubinis
over locally compact abelian groups.
theorem again (i.e. interchange the order of integration):
This formulation is especially useful for implementing a
numerical convolution on a computer: The standard con(
)

volution algorithm has quadratic computational complex2iz

dz dx.
ity. With the help of the convolution theorem and the fast H() = Rn f (x) Rn g(z x)e

|f (x)| g1

REFERENCES

Substitute y = z x ; then dy = dz , so:

(

H() =

f (x)
Rn

g(y)e

dy

xN [n] =
dx

g(y)e2iy dy

)
dx

Rn

f (x)e

x[n mN ].

It can then be shown that:

Rn

m=

Rn

f (x)e2ix

2i(y+x)

def

2ix

dx

g(y)e2iy dy.

Rn

Rn

[
]
xN y =DT F T 1 DT F T {xN } DT F T {y}
[
]
=DF T 1 DF T {xN } DF T {yN } ,
where DFT represents the discrete Fourier transform.
The proof follows from DTFT#Periodic data, which indicates that DT F T {xN } can be written as:

These two integrals are the denitions of F () and G()

, so:
DT F T {xN }(f )

The product with DT F T {y}(f ) is thereby reduced to a

discrete-frequency function:

QED.

Convolution theorem for inverse

Fourier transform

With similar argument as the above proof, we have the

convolution theorem for the inverse Fourier transform.

F 1 {f g} = F 1 {f } F 1 {g}
F 1 {f g} = F 1 {f } F 1 {g}
{
}
f g = F F 1 {f } F 1 {g}

DT F T {xN }

1
N

x y =DT F T 1

DT F T {x}

]
DT F T {y} ,

k/N )
{z
}
DF T {yN }[k]
ing Sampling the DTFT).
|

(also

us-

The inverse DTFT is:

(xN y)[n] =
0

{
}
f g = F F 1 {f } F 1 {g}

By similar arguments, it can be shown that the discrete

convolution of sequences x and y is given by:

DF T {xN }[k]

Functions of discrete variable sequences

DT F T {y}

k=
DT F T {y}(k/N ) (f

and:

1
(DF T {xN }[k]) (f k/N )
N
k=

H() = F () G(),

1
N

1
N

k=

DF T {xN }[k] DF T {yN }[k]

DF T {xN }[k] DF T {yN }[k]

k=

(f k/N )
1

(f k/N )
0

N 1
n
1
i2 N
k
DF T {xN }[k] DF T {yN }[k] e
N
k=0
[
]
=DF T 1 DF T {xN } DF T {yN } ,

QED.

4 References
Katznelson, Yitzhak (1976), An introduction to Harmonic Analysis, Dover, ISBN 0-486-63331-4

where DTFT represents the discrete-time Fourier transform.

Weisstein, Eric W., Convolution Theorem,

MathWorld.

An important special case is the circular convolution of

x and y dened by xN y, where xN is a periodic summation:

Crutcheld, Steve (October 9, 2010), The Joy of

Convolution, Johns Hopkins University, retrieved
November 19, 2010

Additional resources

For visual representation of the use of the convolution

theorem in signal processing, see:
Johns Hopkins University's Java-aided simulation:
http://www.jhu.edu/signals/convolve/index.html

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