Quality Enhancement in Underwater Sensor Networks Through Node Deployment Plans: A Performance-Based Classification

Underwater Sensor Networks (UWSNs)

UWSN is a blend of wireless technologies having tiny micro-mechanical sensor possessing communication capabilities, smart sensing and intelligent computing. UWSN is an underwater network of spatially distributed, autonomous sensor nodes (Akyildiz et al, 2005) which senses certain characteristics such as quality, pressure and temperature of water. These sensors along with the numerous vehicles are deployed in such a way so that they can collect data and perform collaborative monitoring. Sensor node transmits the data to buoyant gateway which in turn relays it to the closest control station and coastal monitoring known as remote station (Felemban, 2013).

Figure 1.

Underwater wireless sensor network

Underwater sensor networks (UWSNs) is gaining popularity because of their broad range of applications in commercial, scientific and military operation underwater. Many potential uses include surveillance of ocean tides and waves, enhanced weather forecasts, detection of climate changes, biological monitoring, estimation and understanding of human impacts on aquatic ecosystems. UWSN plays significant role in exploring precious minerals, reservoir and oilfields. It also assists in determining the route for laying the cables under the sea. Apart from this, sensors can be used to send alert to coastal areas about tsunami by measuring seismic activity from remote locations (Akyildiz et al, 2005; Soreide, 2004). UWSN help in navigation by identifying seabed threats, finding dangerous rocks or shoals in coastal seas, mooring locations, submerge wrecks and conduct profiling of bathymetries. Under-Water Acoustic Sensor Networks supports surveillance, intrusion detection systems, reconnaissance and targeting (Cayirci et al, 2004).