Two dimensional DOA estimation of coherent signals based on covariance matrix element transformation

Traditional Direction of Arrival (DOA) estimation algorithms for coherent signals in uniform circular array (UCA), such as mode space transformation, allow for the adaptation of advanced algorithms initially developed for uniform linear arrays to be applied effectively in UCA. However, after mode space transformation, the array will encounter aperture loss and will also be unable to perform two-dimensional DOA estimation effectively. In this paper, we propose a new method that that integrates covariance matrix element transformation with the Multiple Signal Classification (MUSIC) to estimate the DOA of coherent signals in various symmetric antenna arrays, including UCA. The algorithm leverages the phase difference symmetry of the antenna array to decorrelate the incoming signals, effectively restoring the full rank of the covariance matrix. Subsequently, it employs two-dimensional MUSIC for DOA estimation. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.