Limiting Detection Performance for Random Signals of Unknown Location, Structure,Extent, and Strength

摘要

A signal (if present) is located somewhere in a band of frequencies characterizedby a total of N search bins. The signal occupies an arbitrary set of M of these bins, where not only is M unknown, but, also, the locations of the particular M occupied bins are unknown. In addition, the (common) signal strength per bin, S, is unknown. The limiting detection capability of any processor in this environment has been determined quantitatively by a new bounding procedure that employs an optimum banded processor. The performance levels attained by various practical power-law processors are found to lie within 0.1 dB of the ultimate level, for any value of M, provided the correct power-law is employed. The best single compromise processor is the 2.4 power-law device, which loses less than 1.2 dB, regardless of the value of M. (MM).