Spectral leakage is a phenomenon that occurs in signal processing, particularly in the context of the Fourier transform when analyzing signals. It refers to the distortion or spreading of the signal's spectral content across various frequency bins that are not aligned with the actual frequencies present in the signal.
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Multiplying a measured signal by a finite-duration window function convolves its Fourier transform with the transform of the window. A spectrally sharp component therefore contributes to nearby frequencies rather than remaining a single ideal line. Smooth tapering can reduce distant sidelobes at the cost of widening the main spectral feature. This finite-record effect is distinct from aliasing, which superposes copies of the spectrum because of time sampling.