A rapid approximation to optimal array processing for the case of strong localized interferences

The application of adaptive beamforming to the problem of a finite number of strong localized interferences is addressed. It is shown that (a) the general, complex optimal array processing problem reduces to a simpler problem in this case: specifically, the problem of optimizing J(N−1) free parameters (where N is the number of array elements and J is the number of frequency bands of interest) is formally reduced to one of optimizing only n free parameters, where n is the number of interferences; (b) the problem of signal cancellation which exists in classical optimal processing, where the filter output power is minimized, can be avoided by minimizing the total power in all directions, instead; (c) simulations using an existing target scenario (the Frost scenario)[Proc. IEEE 60 926–935 (1972)] indicate that methods based upon the above findings are at least as good as classical optimal processing for appropriate target scenarios. This paper can also be regarded as providing a relatively rigorous basis for ...