A DOA Estimation Method for Uniform Circular Array Based on Virtual Interpolation and Subarray Rotation

A uniform linear array (ULA) or a multi-element planar array composed of uniform linear arrays is the main applied research array for direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation in array signal processing. In recent years, the uniform circular array (UCA) is getting more attention because of its consistent azimuthal beam resolution, but the DOA estimation algorithm of a UCA is complex and difficult to implement. To solve this problem, a UCA positioning method based on virtual interpolation and subarray rotation (VISAR) is proposed. This method effectively reduces the computational complexity of DOA estimation for a UCA, and the simulation analysis of the algorithm shows that in terms of positioning performance, the proposed algorithm is better than the existing virtual interpolation algorithms in the case of a low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).