Angle of Arrival (AoA) Estimation of Jamming Signals Using a Multi-Antenna System Under Varying Jamming Scenarios

Aisha Elsayem, German Drolet, Joey Bray, Haidy Elghamrawy, Aboelmagd Noureldin

Abstract:	Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are highly vulnerable to jamming, which can severely degrade positioning accuracy and disrupt critical applications. Estimating the Angle of Arrival (AoA) of jamming signals is essential for determining their direction, which aids in applying mitigation techniques, including null-steering beamforming and spatial filtering, by enabling targeted suppression of interference while preserving the reception of desired signals. In this work, a 4-element antenna array is used to estimate the AoA of jamming signals in a controlled environment. To assess the impact of GNSS signals on AoA estimation, GNSS signals are continuously transmitted alongside jamming signals. The jamming signals, including Continuous Wave (CW) and Chirp interference, are generated and transmitted using Software-Defined Radios (SDRs) through a dedicated jamming antenna. The same SDRs are also configured to receive and digitize the incoming signals for further processing. The collected data is then processed using classical AoA estimation algorithms, specifically Bartlett, Minimum Variance Distortionless Response (MVDR), and Multiple Signal Classification (MUSIC). This study compares the performance of Bartlett, MVDR and MUSIC under both high-power and low-power jamming conditions and examines the impact of CW and Chirp jamming signals on AoA estimation. Initial results demonstrate the effectiveness of multi-antenna AoA estimation in detecting jamming signals, with MUSIC providing superior angular resolution compared to Bartlett and MVDR. High-power jamming signals consistently dominate the received signal, leading to more stable AoA estimation regardless of the algorithm used. Additionally, Chirp jamming signals prove to be more effective in maintaining a strong interference presence, resulting in more consistent and accurate AoA estimation compared to CW jamming.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 38th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS+ 2025) September 8 - 12, 2025 Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor Baltimore, Maryland
Pages:	1855 - 1866
Cite this article:	Elsayem, Aisha, Drolet, German, Bray, Joey, Elghamrawy, Haidy, Noureldin, Aboelmagd, "Angle of Arrival (AoA) Estimation of Jamming Signals Using a Multi-Antenna System Under Varying Jamming Scenarios," Proceedings of the 38th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS+ 2025), Baltimore, Maryland, September 2025, pp. 1855-1866. https://doi.org/10.33012/2025.20419
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