Cross-Correlation

Cross-correlation is a statistical tool used to measure how similar two signals are over time, especially when one may be shifted or delayed relative to the other. Imagine analyzing two sound recordings to see if similar patterns appear, but one starts slightly later than the other. Cross-correlation quantifies this similarity and determines the amount of delay between them. It’s widely used in fields like signal processing, image analysis, and data analysis to find relationships or patterns, helping to identify how one signal relates to or depends on another even when not perfectly aligned.