FDOA-based passive source localization: a geometric perspective

Abstract

We consider the problem of passively locating the source of a radio-frequency signal using observations by several sensors. Received signals can be compared to obtain time difference of arrival (TDOA) and frequency difference of arrival (FDOA) measurements. The geometric relationship satisfied by these measurements allow us to make inferences about the emitter's location. In this research, we choose to focus on the FDOA-based source localization problem. This problem has been less widely studied and is more difficult than solving for an emitter's location using TDOA measurements. When the FDOA-based source localization problem is formulated as a system of polynomials, the source's position is contained in the corresponding algebraic variety. This provides motivation for the use of methods from algebraic geometry, specifically numerical algebraic geometry (NAG), to solve for the emitter's location and gain insight into this system's interesting structure.