Understanding Negative SNR and the Shannon Limit An explanation of Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR), its behavior in decibels, and how Shannon's theorem defines the ultimate communication limit. Signal-to-Noise Ratio in Shannon’s Equation In Shannon's equation, the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) is defined as the signal power divided by the noise power: SNR = S / N Since both signal power and noise power are physical quantities, neither can be negative. Therefore, the SNR itself is always a positive number. However, engineers often express SNR in decibels: SNR(dB) When SNR = 1, the logarithmic value becomes: SNR(dB) = 0 When the noise power exceeds the signal power (SNR < 1), the decibel representation becomes negative. Behavior of Shannon's Capacity Equation Shannon’s channel capacity formula is: C = B log₂(1 + SNR) For SNR = 0: log₂(1 + SNR) = 0 When SNR becomes smaller (including negative values in dB), the expression approache...