A fast and robust algorithm for DOA estimation of a spatially dispersed source

In this paper, we consider the fast direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation f or a spatially dispersed source. Using a less detailed model for the part o f the covariance matrix that depends on the angular spread, we show that DO A estimation can be decoupled from angular spread estimation. This results in a one-dimensional minimization problem which can be solved using the fas t Fourier transform. The so-obtained DOA estimate does not depend on any as sumption on the spatial distribution of the source and is, hence, robust to mismodeling. Both theoretical analysis and numerical simulations are prese nted to illustrate the performance of the method. (C)1999 Academic Press.