STO-Activities: (no title)
Activity title:
Advances in Array Calibration for improved ESM Sensor Performance
Activity Reference:
SET-337
Panel:
SET
Security Classification:
NATO UNCLASSIFIED
Status:
Planning
Activity type:
RLS
Start date:
2024-03-21T00:00:00Z
Actual End date:
2025-11-20T00:00:00Z
Keywords:
antenna array, array calibration, direction finding, electronic support measures, installed performance, localization, SET
Background:
Sensors are the foundation of all modern cognitive ESM systems, and signal processing methods, like direction finding, require an accurate model of the array response in order to interpret and fuse sensor data. However, in practice, the antenna array is subject to sensor position errors, electrical cable length differences, mutual coupling, cross-polarization effects, effects of the sensor platform and other effects. The aforementioned effects can cause significant deviations between the modeled response and the actual response of the array sensor, which can significantly degrade the performance of array signal processing techniques and can, for example, lead to squinted transmit-receive beams or introduce systematic DF errors. A calibration during operation of the array sensor can mitigate model errors and improve the “installed performance” of the sensor. The proposed Lecture Series is intended to raise awareness of the need for array calibration, and to provide an in-depth look at techniques and innovations in this area of research.
Objectives:
Modern fusion algorithms process vast amounts of data from numerous different active and passive sensor systems. The sensor model that links the physical phenomenon to the sensor's output signal is of paramount importance. Often, fusion algorithms attempt to account for sensor errors due to overly simple models or improperly calibrated sensors. There is an inherent trade-off between the performance and complexity of a model. While simple models are easy to calibrate, i.e., all unknown model parameters can be easily determined, they often cannot fully capture the actual (complex) sensor response. On the other hand, the discrepancy between the actual and modeled response of a sensor can be reduced by an increasingly complex sensor model, but at the expense of costly calibration procedures. The upfront cost of calibrating a sensor can be enormous, so self-calibration procedures that reduce model deviations during sensor operation are highly desirable. The eminent importance of appropriate sensor models and corresponding (self-)calibration procedures should be considered by the international information fusion community.
Topics:
Considered calibration concepts:
• Array calibration techniques for improved ESM sensor performance
• Parametric and non-calibration methods
• Implicit and explicit AI-based calibration methods
• Self-calibration techniques for array calibration using sources of opportunity during sensor operation
• In-flight calibration techniques for improved installed performance
Contact:
Open2Partners:
Title:
Created at 06/10/2023 10:00 by System Account
Last modified at 17/05/2024 00:00 by System Account
Go back to list
Home(NATO STO)