A theoretical performance analysis and simulation of time-domain EMI sensor data for land mine detection

In this paper, the physical phenomenology of electromagnetic induction (EMI ) sensors is reviewed for application to land mine detection and remediatio n, The response from time-domain EMI sensors is modeled as an exponential d amping as a function of time, characterized by the initial magnitude and de cay rate. Currently deployed EMI sensors that are used for the land mine de tection process the recorded signal in a variety of ways in order to provid e an audio output for the operator to judge whether or not the signal is fr om a mine. Sensors may sample the decay curve, sum it, or calculate its ene rgy. Based on exponential decay model and the assumption that the sensor re sponse is subject to additive white Gaussian noise, the performance of thes e, as well as optimal, detectors are derived and compared. Theoretical perf ormance predictions derived using simplifying assumptions are shown to agre e closely with simulated performance. It will also be shown that the genera lized likelihood ratio test (GLRT) is equivalent to the likelihood ratio te st (LRT) for multichannel time-domain EMI sensor data under the additive wh ile Gaussian noise assumption and specific assumptions regarding the Statis tics of the decay rates of targets and clutter.