Spatial Filtering for Detection of Signals Submerged in Noise

Matched filtering is described as a spatial filtering operation. A technique for producing a matched filter, wherein the filter transfer function is modulated onto a spatial carrier and the resulting function is hard-clipped allowing a filter construction of completely opaque and transparent lines, is given. The effect of this nonlinearity on the S/N is shown to be small. The effects of extraneous frequencies in the filter is shown to be negligible if the spatial carrier is sufficiently high. Experimental results are presented showing the detectability of the signal in the presence of various levels of additive noise.