Shallow water communication with an object buried in bottom sediments

Abstract

Underwater acoustic communications (UAC) in shallow water applications is a very difficult task. This task becomes even more difficult when there is a need to ensure reliable communication with an object buried in bottom sediments. The article presents a simulation of an acoustic transmission channel in conditions of strong multi-path propagation to an object buried in bottom sediments. The impulse response method was used, supported by a technique derived from the ray tracing image source method. Simulation results are presented for both narrowband and broadband signals with LFM frequency modulation. Based on the simulation, the conditions that should be met by the transmission signals to ensure correct communication were determined. Examples of data transmission to an object buried in bottom sediments in a simulated shallow channel with multi-path propagation were also presented.

Keywords

• underwater acoustic communications
• uac
• shallow water channel
• multipath propagation
• bottom sediments