Change detection algorithms for ad hoc distributed radar

This work investigates the detection of targets in an unknown complex scene by means of an ad hoc network of widely distributed sensors that are spread over the region of surveillance. A general coherent change detection methodology is developed that is based on the classical optical theorem of wave scattering theory. It relies on spatial-temporal-spectral projections of the scattered field data onto the incident field or background medium response data. This involves only data gathered in situ by the sensing array. Thus the proposed approach is purely data-driven, an important property for application in unknown media. Another important feature is that the derived approach admits alternative hardware and software implementations and this flexibility can be adopted to enhance resilience to interference and eavesdropping. The performance of the optical-theorem-based detection method is discussed. It is shown that it outperforms existing methods for change detection such as the classical energy detector under certain coherence conditions or views of the imaging system. The derived theory and algorithms are illustrated with computer simulations.