What can we learn from the shape of a correlation peak for position estimation?

Matched filtering is a robust technique to identify and locate objects in the presence of noise. Traditionally, the amplitude of the correlation peak is used for detection of a match. However, when distinguishing objects that are not significantly different or detecting objects under high noise imaging conditions, the normalized peak amplitude alone may not provide sufficient discrimination. In this paper, we demonstrate that measurements derived from the shape of the correlation peak offer not only higher levels of discrimination but also accurate position estimation. To our knowledge, this is the first time such features have been used in a real-time system, like the National Ignition Facility, where such techniques enable real-time, accurate position estimation and alignment under challenging imaging conditions. It is envisioned that systems utilizing matched filtering will greatly benefit from incorporating additional shape based information.