# Time array from frequency array in FFT using Python

I have done a Fourier transformation of two signals (in time) $S_1(t),S_2(t)$ using numpy's fft which will give me $S_1(f),S_2(f)$. The corresponding frequency grid I get via fftfreq. In the frequency space, I then interpolated the two signals to a new grid using interp1d. I need to do this to match the two grids of the signals so that I can divide them at the correct frequencies. However, I now want to transform the divided property $S_1(f)/S_2(f)$ back to time space using ifft. But: How do I get the new time grid?

• You can probably use the chirp z-transform to directly transform to the frequency grid you need. For a Python implementation, check gist.github.com/endolith/2783807 Apr 25 '14 at 9:13

By interpolating in frequency you are extending the length of your signal in time. You haven't done anything to increase your sampling rate so $\Delta t$ is fixed. Your new time grid will be of length N+M where N is the original length and M is the number of points added through interpolation.
• I am uniformly interpolating the frequency grid. The sampling rate is still fixed, even if I change $\Delta f$, the distance between the frequency points, due to the interpolation? Apr 28 '14 at 6:14
• Yes, the sampling rate $\Delta t$ is fixed, an increase in frequency resolution, that is a smaller $\Delta f$, increases the length of your time-domain signal. It is common to zero-pad a time-domain signal for improved frequency resolution. To answer your question, your new time grid is t = (N+M-1)*$\Delta t$ Apr 28 '14 at 14:21