Signal interception in non-Gaussian noise

The interception of weak signals in nonGaussian noise is discussed. The spectral correlation property exhibited by all cyclostationary signals is exploited to synthesize multi-cycle and single-cycle detectors which assure a superior tolerance (as compared to radiometric techniques) to one of the most challenging problems in interception, namely accommodating unknown and changing noise level and interference activity. The proposed detectors perform a maximum likelihood estimate of the noise level and use the estimate to form the detection statistic. To obtain some analytical information about the performance of the multi-cycle and single-cycle detectors, the deflection, which is a useful measure of the output (signal-to-noise ratio), especially appropriate for weak-signal SNR interception, has been evaluated. The receiver operating characteristics, carried out via computer simulation, confirm the superiority of the proposed cycle detector with respect to the traditional radiometer