Estimation of the parameters of a bilinear model with applications to submarine detection and system identification

In this work we study the problem of estimating the parameters of a bilinear model describing, e.g., the amplitude modulation of extremely low frequency electromagnetic (ELFE) signatures of submarines. A similar problem arises in estimation of a nonlinear dynamic system using a Hammerstein-Wiener model, where two nonlinear static blocks surround a linear dynamic block. For these purposes a new method is derived. It is also shown in the same context that a two-stage method for parameter estimation of Hammerstein-Wiener models can be interpreted as an approximate least squares method. We also show the similarities with the problem of weighted low-rank approximation and the fact that these problems can be solved exactly in finite time using solvers for global optimization of systems of polynomials based on self dual optimization. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.