An Evolutionary Approach to Underwater Sensor Deployment

Abstract

Underwater sensor deployment for military surveillance is a significant challenge due to the inherent difficulties posed by the underwater channel in terms of sensing and communications between sensors, as well as the exorbitant cost of the sensors. As a result, these sensors must be deployed as efficiently as possible. The proposed Underwater Sensor Deployment Evolutionary Algorithm considers six important factors that have not yet been simultaneously considered due to the ensuing complexity of the problem. Two principle studies are presented in this work, a benchmarking study that shows the effectiveness of the algorithm and a simulation study that outlines the inevitable effect of communications range on the sensing capabilities on an underwater sensor field.

Keywords:

• Underwater sensor networks
• sensor deployment strategies
• range dependence
• evolutionary algorithms