The Gauss-Newton algorithm in passive aircraft tracking using doppler and bearings

Passive Coherent Location (PCL) radar systems capitalise on illuminators of opportunity such as TV broadcast stations, in order to obtain RF backscatter from targets such as aircraft. In this paper it is envisaged that an array of receivers is available, each of which measures both the bearing to an airborne target as well as the Doppler shift of the signal induced by the target´s motion. These bearing and Doppler values are then processed by the method invented by Gauss in 1809 called the Gauss-Newton (GN) algorithm [2, 3, 6], which is discussed in further detail in an accompanying paper in these proceedings [7]. Results are presented, based on an extensive simulation study for various target types and varying numbers of receivers.