Array Signal Processing for Maximum Likelihood Direction-of-Arrival Estimation

Estimation of the emitters’ directions with an antenna array, or Direction-of-Arrival (DOA) estimation, is an essential problem in a large variety of applications such as radar, sonar, mobile communications, and seismic exploration, because it is a major method for location determination. In wireless communications, DOA estimation may significantly improve communication efficiency and network capacity, support and enhance location-aided routing, dynamic network planning and different types of location-related services and applications. In radar and sonar, accurate target localization is a fundamental objective. The problem has been an active research area for decades, and many high resolution methods have been investigated, such as Multiple Signal Classification (MUSIC), Estimation of Signal Parameters via Rotational Invariance Technique (ESPRIT), Minimum Variance Distortionless Response (MVDR), and Model of Direction Estimation (MODE). An introduction to DOA estimation and array processing can be found, e.g., in Li, et al. [1] and the references therein.