A maximum likelihood estimation technique for spatial-temporal modal analysis

The authors use the data collected by a linear, multisensor array to identify the wavenumber, damping factor, frequency and amplitude of individual point sources in the far field. The algorithm is based on the principle of maximum likelihood. The solution to this optimization problem yields the maximum likelihood estimates of the spatial-temporal parameters for each source in a far field environment. The optimization problem was obtained by characterizing the orthogonal subspace for the space-time data collected by an array of sensors. This orthogonal subspace was constructed in such a way that it was possible to pair the temporal and spatial mode estimates