A system that creates an adaptive control parameter in a sensor processor (200, 300) that determines a detection threshold for desired signals-of-interest, the system comprising: a projection space generator arranged to perform a first projection operation, a second projection operation, and a third projection operation on a received signal to generate a matched projection space, a first mismatched projection space, and a second mismatched projection space, respectively, such that the matched projection space includes desired signal energy and undesired signal energy, the first mismatched projection space is orthogonal or nearly orthogonal to the matched projection space, the first mismatched projection space including non-desired signal energy and a reduced or removed desired signal energy, the second mismatched projection space is mismatched to both the matched projection space and the first mismatched projection space and orthogonal or nearly orthogonal to the matched projection space and the first mismatched projection space, the second mismatched projection space including non-desired signal energy; a mitigator engine (320, 420) arranged to receive the matched projection space and the first mismatched projection space, the mitigator engine configured to generate a first covariance matrix from the first mismatched projection space and an image space from the covariance matrix and the matched projection space; a clutter characterization engine (330, 430) arranged to receive the second mismatched projection and the covariance matrix, the clutter characterization engine configured to generate samples of non-desired signal energy when present by using the covariance matrix and the second mismatched projection space; and a parameter generator arranged to receive the samples and configured to generate a control parameter for a threshold adjuster. a projection space generator arranged to perform a first projection operation, a second projection operation, and a third projection operation on a received signal to generate a matched projection space, a first mismatched projection space, and a second mismatched projection space, respectively, such that the matched projection space includes desired signal energy and undesired signal energy, the first mismatched projection space is orthogonal or nearly orthogonal to the matched projection space, the first mismatched projection space including non-desired signal energy and a reduced or removed desired signal energy, the second mismatched projection space is mismatched to both the matched projection space and the first mismatched projection space and orthogonal or nearly orthogonal to the matched projection space and the first mismatched projection space, the second mismatched projection space including non-desired signal energy; a mitigator engine (320, 420) arranged to receive the matched projection space and the first mismatched projection space, the mitigator engine configured to generate a first covariance matrix from the first mismatched projection space and an image space from the covariance matrix and the matched projection space; a clutter characterization engine (330, 430) arranged to receive the second mismatched projection and the covariance matrix, the clutter characterization engine configured to generate samples of non-desired signal energy when present by using the covariance matrix and the second mismatched projection space; and a parameter generator arranged to receive the samples and configured to generate a control parameter for a threshold adjuster.