Combining wavelet packets with higher-order-statistic for GPR detection of non-metallic anti-personnel land mines

Abstract

This paper deals with the detection problem of non-metallic anti-personnel (AP) land mines by using ground penetrating radar (GPR). The clutter signal due to the reflection from the ground surface is often a performance limiting factor in GPR. An algorithm has been developed for this purpose, which combines two powerful tools: The wavelet packet analysis and the higher-order-statistics (HOS). The use of both techniques makes the detection of shallow AP land mines objects, which are obscured by the return from air-soil interface, possible. A de-noising procedure is performed on the wavelet coefficients and the classical method of detection is then applied to these coefficients. The used threshold is based on the higher order statistics. The algorithm has been tested using two source data, one-GHz pulse GPR data, and one-to-four-GHz stepped-frequency GPR data, from laboratory measurements.