On Enhancing Network Reliability and Throughput for Critical-range based Applications in UWSNs

Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks (UWSNs) support various applications like pollution monitoring, tsunami warnings, offshore exploration, tactical surveillance, etc. Distinctive features of UWSNs like low available bandwidth, large propagation delay, highly dynamic network topology, and high error probability pose many challenges for designing efficient and reliable communication protocols. In this paper, we propose an extension of IAMCTD (Improved Adaptive Mobility of Courier nodes in Threshold-optimized DBR protocol for UWSNs) that focuses on enhancing network reliability and throughput for critical-range based applications. Our scheme avoids control overhead that was present in IAMCTD for implementing changes in depth threshold. The movement pattern of courier nodes along with reducing communication burden on nodes increases throughput as well. Additionally, stability period is improved and node density per round remains comparatively high improving the overall network reliability. Based on the comprehensive simulations using MATLAB, we observe that our scheme improves the performance in terms of throughput and stability period. Moreover, comparatively higher network density per round is maintained and end-to-end delay is stabilized throughout the network lifetime. c © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of Elhadi M. Shakshuki.