Method and apparatus for sinusoid detection

A system and method for detection of complex sinusoidal signals. The method can include obtaining a set of complex-valued samples of one or more signals, in the presence of unknown noise, using a plurality of sensors. The presence of .kappa. candidate complex sinusoids can be assumed. Then, .kappa. candidate complex sinusoids in the set of complex-valued samples can be estimated. The method can include comparing a measurement of the energy of the .kappa. estimated candidate complex sinusoids with a threshold value. Based on the comparison, a determination can be made whether to assume a different number of candidate complex sinusoids and repeat the estimation and the comparison steps, or to specify the estimated .kappa. candidate complex sinusoids as detected complex sinusoids. The threshold value can be determined using a penalty value which reduces the probability of overestimating the number of complex sinusoids.