Output formats

Computations are done in complex float. Casting these values to complex short format introduces an error. Of course, the main advantage is a factor 2 reduction in the size of the output file.

Now an example follows for the error in amplitude and phase for a complex value of about (100,100). If the actual interpolated complex value equals (100.5,100.5), then the error in the magnitude approximately is

$$e_m \approx 100 (\sqrt(100^2+100^2) - \sqrt(100.5^2+100.5^2))/ \sqrt(100.5^2+100.5^2) = 0.5 \%$$ (U1)

If the actual value did equal (100.5,100.0), then the error in the phase is approximately

$$e_p \approx 100 (\arctan(100/100)-\arctan(100.5/100))/\arctan(100.5/100) = 0.3 \%$$ (U2)

These are worst case scenarios. If the complex value is larger, then the relative error decreases. Note that the maximum for a signed short integer is $2^{15}=32768$.