A noncommutative approach to the graphon Fourier transform

Abstract

Signal analysis on graphs relies heavily on the graph Fourier transform, which is defined as the projection of a signal onto an eigenbasis of the associated shift operator. Large graphs of similar structure may be represented by a graphon. Theoretically, graphons are limit objects of converging sequences of graphs. Our work extends previous research proposing a common scheme for signal analysis of graphs that are similar in structure to a graphon. We extend a previous definition of graphon Fourier transform, and show that the graph Fourier transforms of graphs in a converging graph sequence converge to the graphon Fourier transform of the limiting graphon. We then apply this convergence result to signal processing on Cayley graphons. We show that Fourier analysis of the underlying group enables the construction of a suitable eigen-decomposition for the graphon, which can be used as a common framework for signal processing on graphs converging to the graphon.