A flatness-based generalized optimization approach to spectral estimation

Abstract

In the optimization formulation, once the known autocorrelations are fixed as constraints, the objective functional completely characterizes the corresponding method of spectral estimation. After observing that this functional involves a sort of spectral flatness maximization, the relationship between the form of its integrand and the salient trends of the various methods is pointed out. This serves as a basis to propose a generalized optimization approach that encompasses some classical estimators and originates new ones.