A criterion to detect sensor array distortion

The authors present a criterion to detect displacements of the sensors along the array. This criterion relies on a new source bearing estimation technique which is less accurate than most of the high-resolution (HR) methods but which is much more robust to sensor array distortion. By comparing the bearing estimates obtained by the HR method and this new method, a test can be defined to decide whether the array shape is distorted or not. A theoretical study of the new estimator as well as that of the proposed criterion are provided. Simulation results are given to illustrate the behavior of the criterion for various array distortions.<>