A simple model for pink noise from amplitude modulations

TL;DR

This paper introduces a simple beat-based model for pink noise originating from cooperative wave interactions, explaining its emergence without dissipation or long-term memory, applicable across various natural phenomena.

Contribution

It presents a novel amplitude modulation mechanism for pink noise, linking cooperative wave beats to 1/f fluctuations in diverse systems.

Findings

Pink noise arises from cooperative wave beats.

The model explains pink noise without dissipation or memory.

Applicable to earthquakes, solar flares, and stellar activities.

Abstract

We propose a simple model for the origin of pink noise (or 1/f fluctuation) based on the beat of cooperative waves. These cooperative waves arise spontaneously in a system with synchronization, resonance, and infrared divergence. Many cooperative waves with close frequencies can produce signals of arbitrary small frequencies from a system of small size. This beat mechanism can be understood as amplitude modulation. The pink noise can appear after the demodulation process, which produces a variety of pink noise in many fields. The pink noise thus formed from the beat has nothing to do with dissipation or long-time memory. We also suggest new ways of looking at pink noise in shallow earthquakes, solar flares, and stellar activities.