Boxcar averaging is a sliding window that averages n adjacent spectra prior to feature detection. Averaging generally improves the signal-to-noise ratio of features in the spectra, as well as improving the shape of isotopic envelopes. However, averaging will also change the observed peak intensities. Averaging with too wide a window will increase the occurrence of overlapping features and broaden the chromatographic profiles of observed features. The number specified is the total adjacent scans to be combined, centered on the scan being analyzed. Therefore, an odd number is recommended to center the boxcar window. For example, a value of 3 would produce an average of the scan of interest, plus one scan on each side. A value of 0 disables boxcar averaging.
[Number]
0 to 7
1.30 to Current Version
boxcar_averaging = 3