Perimeter detection systems: correlation of false alarm cause with environmental factors

The tradeoff in the overall performance of a perimeter detection system between its detection probability and its false-alarm rate is discussed. The false-alarm rate is influenced greatly by the environment in which the sensor is operating. Understanding the correlation between false-alarm rate and the environment offers the opportunity for sensors to be improved. Furthermore, the likely performance of a sensor in a given environment can be predicted. Some techniques used to explore the effects of the environment on a sensor's false-alarm rate are reviewed.>