STAR Localization Aids Enhancement Final Report: A Call-Up Under the Noise Monitoring Standing Offer

摘要

Recent multistatic trials have shown that contact assessment; echo association between receivers; and localization can be complex and confusing tasks, especially in the presence of multiple contacts. Dr. Joe Maksym, a Defence R AND D Canada (DRDC) scientist, developed localization algorithms for use with multistatic data that may improve operator performance. This report documents the work done to integrate existing Interactive Data Language (IDL) localization software produced by Joe Maksym into the Software Tools for Analysis and Research (STAR) suite, along with enhancements that provide a quantitative assessment of algorithm performance against real data. Some of Dr. Joe Maksym's localization algorithms were incorporated into STAR. They analytically determine the ellipse-ellipse and ellipse-bearing crossing points, which are used as inputs into a clustering routine, providing an AOP and MPP overlay onto the tactical plot. It was found that the area(s) of probability (AOP) generated by the localization algorithm could produce a clear, deterministic assessment of a contact's location that can be rapidly interpreted by both a computer and a user. This in itself is a significant advantage over relying on an individual operator's qualitative assessment of contact. These localization aids could also prove useful as an operator fixing aid, contact prioritization tool and contact classification tool. They may also be used to support higher-level data fusion and data association algorithms in a track-before-detect paradigm. Though initial results are very promising, it was clear that other versions of the localization algorithm, such as one based on ellipse-hyperbola crossing points, might provide better localizations. A number of suggestions for follow-on work are provided in this document.