  In sparse Bayesian learning (SBL), Gaussian scale mixtures (GSMs) have been
used to model sparsity-inducing priors that realize a class of concave penalty
functions for the regression task in real-valued signal models. Motivated by
the relative scarcity of formal tools for SBL in complex-valued models, this
paper proposes a GSM model - the Bessel K model - that induces concave penalty
functions for the estimation of complex sparse signals. The properties of the
Bessel K model are analyzed when it is applied to Type I and Type II
estimation. This analysis reveals that, by tuning the parameters of the mixing
pdf different penalty functions are invoked depending on the estimation type
used, the value of the noise variance, and whether real or complex signals are
estimated. Using the Bessel K model, we derive a sparse estimator based on a
modification of the expectation-maximization algorithm formulated for Type II
estimation. The estimator includes as a special instance the algorithms
proposed by Tipping and Faul [1] and by Babacan et al. [2]. Numerical results
show the superiority of the proposed estimator over these state-of-the-art
estimators in terms of convergence speed, sparseness, reconstruction error, and
robustness in low and medium signal-to-noise ratio regimes.
