Costas Arrays: Survey, Standardization, and MATLAB Toolbox

摘要

A Costas array is an arrangement of N dots on an N-by-N grid, one per row, one per column, such that no two dots share the same displacement vector with any other pair. Costas arrays have applications in SONAR/RADAR systems, communication systems, cryptography, and other areas. We present a standardization of notation and language which can be used to discuss Costas array generation techniques and array manipulations. Using this standardization we can concisely and clearly state various theorems about Costas arrays, including several new theorems about the symmetries of Costas arrays. We also define labels for each array (generated, emergent, and sporadic), which describe whether the array is generated using a known technique, generated using a semiempirical variation of a known technique, or of unexplained origin. A new method for obtaining emergent Costas arrays, the DRT expansion, is also given here for the first time. A MATLAB Costas array toolbox has also been developed which implements the proposed standardization. The toolbox contains a comprehensive set of functions covering Costas array generation, manipulation and classification.