A comparison of nonparametric statistics for multiple-channel detection of signals in ocean noise

The performance of nonparametric multiple-channel detectors based, respectively on the multiple coherence estimate and the generalized coherence estimate in detecting broadband signals in simulated deep-ocean noise are evaluated and compared. Probabilities of detection estimated from simulations are plotted against probabilities of false alarm predicted theoretically from the distribution functions of the detection statistics under the assumption that the channels contain independent white noise. The actual false-alarm performance for both detection statistics in the presence of simulated ocean noise is seen to be significantly different from what is predicted theoretically for white noise. The common practice of establishing detection thresholds for coherence detectors by using theoretically predicted false alarm probabilities is thus shown to be of limited value when colored noise is involved