High bandwidth covert underwater acoustic communications

海洋领域的需求要求更多地使用自主资产进行搜索、调查、检查和执行任务。为了使这些资产能够通过水通信进行有效合作。水下声学通信已十分成熟，10 - 50千赫的声波传播距离可达数公里，但数据传输率较低。高频声波传输（例如100 kHz - 1 MHz）具有在短距离上进行隐蔽通信的潜力，因为信号衰减很快，并且噪声环境相对可预测和良性（主要是热噪声）。本博士学位的目的是研究使用高频声波进行水声通信的可行性。它将开发隐蔽的短程通信能力，使多个资产能够在复杂和动态的水下环境中合作而不被反探测;这将使自主资产小组能够更快地搜索或调查区域。将建立对高频声波在水中传播特性的理解。这将成为水下航行器网络新通信技术开发的基础。该项目与信息和通信技术主题最为密切相关。该博士生奖学金部分由泰利斯英国公司资助和支持。

Demand within the maritime domain calls for increased use of autonomous assets for search, survey, inspection and undertaking tasks. For these assets to cooperate in an effective manner, through water communications is needed. Underwater acoustic communication is well established, with acoustic waves from 10 - 50 kHz propagating up to several kilometres in distance, albeit at low data rates. High frequency acoustic wave transmission (e.g. 100 kHz - 1 MHz) has promise for covert communication over a short range, since signal attenuation is rapid and the noise environment is relatively predictable and benign (dominated by thermal noise).The purpose of this PhD is to investigate the feasibility of using high frequency acoustic waves for underwater acoustic communication. It will develop covert short range communication capability that enables multiple assets to cooperate in the complex and dynamic underwater environment without counter-detection; this will allow squads of autonomous assets to search or survey areas in faster time. An understanding of the propagation characteristics of high frequency acoustic waves through water will be established. This will form the basis of the development of new communication techniques for networks of underwater vehicles. The project is most closely aligned with the Information and Communication Technologies theme.This PhD studentship is partly funded and supported by Thales UK.