What is Decadal Average and how to calculate it usinf Gaussian?

Question

Hi,

I am trying to understand a time-series for a comparison of history temperature variation to solar variation. On the papers it says"...a Gaussian weighted moving average was used to create a decadal average and remove fluctuations on the scale...".

What is this decadal average? And how is it calculated? How is it related to fluctuation?

Thank you.

Answer 1

The average of data over the course of 10 years.

You take the average of each year and sum it up and divide it by 10.  ex.  Lets take precipitation decadal average.

year # -Average

1- 4"

2- 3.5"

3- 1"

4- 2"

5- 1.5"

6- 6"

7- 5"

8- 4.5"

9- 6"

10- 4"

add the average for each year together and divide by 10 and you get your decadal average

36.5 total divide by 2 is 18.25 is the decadal average.

Fluctuation is when the averages of each year go up and down.  Some years it may be 6" and other yearly average can be 3" when you sum these up and divide by how ever many you sum up you will get your average.  Decadal average is always divided by 10 because you are summing up the average of each year.  Just like what I showed you above.  Did I help you understand this better?