Time-scale analysis of abrupt changes corrupted by multiplicative noise

Multiplicative Abrupt Changes (ACs) have been considered in many applications. These applications include image processing (speckle) and random communication models (fading). Previous authors have shown that the Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT) has good detection properties for ACs in additive noise. This work applies the CWT to AC detection in multiplicative noise. CWT translation invariance allows to de"ne an AC signature. The problem then becomes signature detection in the time-scale domain. A second-order contrast criterion is de"ned as a measure of detection performance. This criterion depends upon the "rstand second-order moments of the multiplicative process's CWT. An optimal wavelet (maximizing the contrast) is derived for an ideal step in white multiplicative noise. This wavelet is asymptotically optimal for smooth changes and can be approximated for small AC amplitudes by the Haar wavelet. Linear and quadratic suboptimal signature-based detectors are also studied. Closed-form threshold expressions are given as functions of the false alarm probability for three of the detectors. Detection performance is characterized using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves computed from Monte-Carlo simulations. ( 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.