Authors: Alexandre Brosius (Penn State/GSFC), Tim Kane (Penn State), Jaye Verniero (GSFC)

Because electromagnetic plasma waves and perturbation fields are ubiquitous in space plasmas, wave analysis is an important part of heliophysics. and implementation can make a significant difference in analysis outcomes. Two methods stand out for their unique approaches: Minimum Variance Analysis (MVA), a widely accepted traditional method, and Möbius Transformations, an emerging technique. In this work, we will provide a side-by-side comparison of these two techniques.

Minimum Variance Analysis (MVA) is a technique that presumes a steady polarization over a given analysis interval, evidenced by a constant ellipticity in the wave plane. This assumption requires the analysis interval to meet stringent geometric criteria. For this reason, we use adaptive MVA, which implements geometric constraints and chooses a wave interval duration and position with the best geometry.

In contrast, Möbius Transformations highlight changes in polarization and do not require interval selection. Instead of using a single set of stringent criteria, this method generates an ensemble of transformations, requires several transformations generated from variations in parameter values.

Our objective is to explore the synergy of these methods and the range of acceptable parameter values for each. We hope our comparison will provide valuable insights for researchers exploring ways to isolate or enhance wave and perturbation features in timeseries data.