Cramer-Rao bounds for 2-D target shape estimation in nonlinear inverse scattering problems with application to passive radar

We present new methods for computing fundamental performance limits for two-dimensional (2-D) parametric shape estimation in nonlinear inverse scattering problems with an application to passive radar imaging. We evaluate Cramer-Rao lower bounds (CRB) on shape estimation accuracy using the domain derivative technique from nonlinear inverse scattering theory. The CRB provides an unbeatable performance limit for any unbiased estimator, and under fairly mild regularity conditions is asymptotically achieved by the maximum likelihood estimator (MLE). The resultant CRBs are used to define an asymptotic global confidence region, centered around the true boundary, in which the boundary estimate lies with a prescribed probability. These global confidence regions conveniently display the uncertainty in various geometric parameters such as shape, size, orientation, and position of the estimated target and facilitate geometric inferences. Numerical simulations are performed using the layer approach and the Nystrom method for computation of domain derivatives and using Fourier descriptors for target shape parameterization. This analysis demonstrates the accuracy and generality of the proposed methods.