Use of the Weiss-Weinstein Bound to Compare the Direction-Finding Performance of Sparse Arrays
Abstract
Weiss and Weinstein have recently derived a new lower bound on random parameter estimation error. This report makes use of this bound to develop a criterion for comparing two sparse array configurations. The arrays are first adjusted in size so that their direction-finding (DF) accuracies at high element signal-to-noise ratio (ESNR) are the same when averaged over all possible directions of arrival in the hemisphere. Then their threshold ESNRs are calculated using the Weiss-Weinstein bound. The array having the lower threshold ESNR is judged the better array. As an example of the application of the bound, three 7-element arrays, a circle, a spiral, and an L-shaped array, are compared. The bound is also extended to the case of switched subarrays, where data are collected from several subarrays sequentially in time and processed as a unit. The purpose is to achieve DF accuracy approaching that of the full array while reducing the number of signal processing channels. An example, using five receivers on the 7-element spiral array, shows that this is indeed possible.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 16, 1993
- Accession Number
- ADA272582
Entities
People
- D. F. Delong
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology