Physical Characterization of Acoustic Communication Channel Properties in Underwater Mobile Sensor Networks

A methodology to predict underwater acoustic channel communication properties (capacity, bandwidth, range) from the environmental conditions in the ocean is proposed. The methodology is based on the use of acoustic propagation models coupled to a set of equations proposed firstly by Stojanovic [1]. A parametric study of channel characteristics as a function of changing environmental conditions is presented, showing in particular how channel range and/or source transmission power are influenced by the relative position of source and receiver with respect to the ocean temperature thermocline. This kind of results is crucial to adaptively configure the relative position of mobile nodes (typically AUVs – Autonomous Underwater Vehicles) in underwater sensor networks, with the final goal of mitigating the effects of environmental changes on the network communication capabilities.