Collaborative Research: Underwater Distributed Antennas Systems: Fundamental Limits and Practical Designs

目的： 该计划的目的是进行水下分布式天线系统的深入研究，其中大量的空间分布的水下换能器/水听器通过电缆或无线电链路互连。由于独特的水下信道特性，这样的系统与它们的陆地对应系统有很大的不同。现场工程师在构建此类操作网络时依赖工程直觉来支持自主水下航行器的通信和导航需求。然而，缺乏对这种系统的系统研究。该计划将探讨这两个基本限制和实际的通信算法的设计，为不同类型的交通在这样一个系统。选定的设计将在具有不同信道条件和系统特性的实际设施中进行验证。 智能的优点是解决现实的挑战，在一个独特的水下分布式天线系统，这不同于无线电同行由于长信道色散，快速信道变化，大的传播延迟，和半双工操作约束。该计划将提供一套丰富的理论见解和实用算法，并得到广泛的现实验证的支持。 更广泛的影响是：㈠项目成果迅速过渡到实用的水下分布式天线系统，为各种科学和国土安全应用提供巨大利益; ㈡研究生参与快速发展的水下声学网络领域具有挑战性的研究问题; ㈢大学生、妇女和其他代表性不足的群体参与高级研究及其实际应用。

Objective: The objective of this program is to conduct an in-depth investigation of underwater distributed antenna system, where a large number of spatially distributed underwater transducers / hydrophones are interconnected via cable or radio links. Such systems are drastically different from their terrestrial counterparts due to unique underwater channel characteristics. Field engineers have relied on engineering intuition when building such operational networks to support communication and navigation needs of autonomous underwater vehicles. However, a systematic study of such systems is lacking. This program will explore both fundamental limits and the design of practical communication algorithms for different types of traffics in such a system. Selected designs will be validated in real-world facilities with different channel conditions and system characteristics.Intellectual merit: The intellectual merit is to address realistic challenges in a unique underwater distributed antenna system, which differs from the radio counterparts due to long channel dispersion, fast channel variation, large propagation delay, and half duplex operational constraint. This program will provide a rich set of theoretical insights and practical algorithms, supported by extensive real-world validations.Broader impacts: The broader impacts are: (i) fast transition of the project outcome to practical underwater distributed antenna systems, providing tremendous benefits to various scientific and homeland security applications; (ii) involvement of graduate students in challenging research problems in the fast-growing field of underwater acoustic networks; (iii) participation of undergraduates, women and other under-represented groups, in advanced research and its practical applications.