Non-parametric detection of a class of cyclo-stationary signals in stationary colored non-Gaussian noise using non-stationary higher order spectra

This paper considers specifically the sum of coherently related narrowband signals of unknown frequencies and amplitudes. It employs the method of non-stationary higher order spectra (NSHOS) and develops a detection statistic based on the non-stationary bispectrum. Within the domain that excludes the stationary HOS, the NSHOS detection statistics as asymptotically zero for any type of stationary colored Gaussian or non-Gaussian noise, while within the domain of the stationary HOS they are zero for any type of stationary colored Gaussian or symmetric non-Gaussian noise. The detection performance is compared analytically and experimentally with the more traditional power spectrum method based on a periodogram detection statistic for Gaussian and nonGaussian noise