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

目的：本项目的目标是对大量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的水下分布式天线系统进行深入研究。由于独特的水下信道特性，这种系统与其陆地对应系统有很大的不同。现场工程师在建立这样的操作网络以支持自主水下机器人的通信和导航需求时，一直依赖于工程直觉。然而，缺乏对这类系统的系统研究。本课程将探讨基本限制和针对此类系统中不同类型业务的实用通信算法的设计。选定的设计将在具有不同信道条件和系统特性的真实设施中进行验证。智能优势：智能优势是解决独特的水下分布式天线系统中的现实挑战，该系统不同于无线电同行，因为长信道色散、快速信道变化、大传播延迟和半双工操作限制。该计划将提供一套丰富的理论见解和实用算法，并得到广泛的现实世界的验证。更广泛的影响是：(I)项目成果快速转化为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的好处；(Ii)研究生参与挑战快速增长的水声网络领域的研究问题；(Iii)本科生、女性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.