A recursive approach to compute bit error rate in underwater channels with multiple paths

C. Chen, A. Abdi

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

In underwater acoustic channels, signal is transmitted over several distinct paths, eigenpaths, from transmitter to receiver due to reflections at sea boundaries, where each eigenpath contains a dominant specular component and a number of scattered components. As a result, an underwater acoustic channel response is the superposition of several dominant specular components and numerous scattered components. Bit error rate (BER) in multipath fading channels has been extensively studied in the past. However, limited research has been conducted on fading channels with several dominant specular components. In this paper, BER in multipath channels with several specular components is studied. A new formula to compute the BER recursively and efficiently is derived. Then using Jensen's inequality, one specular component, Rice fading, is shown to provide the lowest possible BER. Upon using the new BER formula and Lagrange multipliers to solve a constrained optimization problem, it is further shown that for two dominant specular components, BER achieves its maximum when the two components are equally weighted. More results on BER for three and four specular paths are also presented. The results shed light on the impact of the number of specular paths on BER, as well as the maximum and minimum values of BER, which are of interest in underwater communication systems.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationOCEANS 2012 MTS/IEEE
Subtitle of host publicationHarnessing the Power of the Ocean
DOIs
StatePublished - 2012
EventOCEANS 2012 MTS/IEEE Hampton Roads Conference: Harnessing the Power of the Ocean - Virginia Beach, VA, United States
Duration: Oct 14 2012Oct 19 2012

Publication series

NameOCEANS 2012 MTS/IEEE: Harnessing the Power of the Ocean

Other

OtherOCEANS 2012 MTS/IEEE Hampton Roads Conference: Harnessing the Power of the Ocean
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityVirginia Beach, VA
Period10/14/1210/19/12

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Ocean Engineering

Keywords

  • Bit error rate
  • acoustic communication
  • constrained optimization
  • multipath fading channels
  • underwater channels
  • wireless propagation

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