Electronics, Vol. 13, Pages 4948: Statistical Analysis of Intermediate Frequency Underwater Acoustic Communication Channel Characteristics in Deep-Sea Sound Channel Axis

Electronics, Vol. 13, Pages 4948: Statistical Analysis of Intermediate Frequency Underwater Acoustic Communication Channel Characteristics in Deep-Sea Sound Channel Axis

Electronics doi: 10.3390/electronics13244948

Authors: Yunfei Li Ning Jia Ruigang Han Suna Qu Yufei Liu Zhongyuan Guo Shengming Guo

Based on experimental data from the deep-sea sound channel axis in the Western Pacific, the statistical distribution law of cluster structure and channel delay spread characteristics are analyzed for three typical receiving depths near the sound channel axis in this paper. A ray theory-based underwater acoustic channel model is used to explain the variations in channel parameters over time and the receiving depth. The results indicate that the underwater acoustic communication channel at the channel axis depth over a 20-km range exhibits a clustered structure that depends on the emission angles of sound rays. For the amplitude characteristics, the amplitude of each cluster follows an inverse Gaussian distribution, with the maximum average amplitude observed when the receiver and transmitter depths are similar. The amplitude of each cluster fluctuation decreases as the receiving depth increases. Regarding delay spread characteristics, the delay spread of each cluster, as well as the maximum and root mean square delay spread of the channel, conform to a Gaussian mixture distribution. The mean and fluctuation of the delay spread parameters increase with the receiving depth. Variations in the cluster structure and channel delay spread characteristics above are primarily attributed to the time-varying sound speed along the propagation paths of sound rays emitted at small upward angles.