Although more than 70% of the earth's surface is covered by water, it remains largely unexplored. However, there is increasing interest in applying state-of-the-art technologies such as wireless networking for underwater monitoring applications. While radio frequency wireless networks have been studied extensively in the terrestrial domain, the most viable underwater communications technology is acoustic communications, which is characterized by severely limited range-dependent bandwidth and attenuation, extensive time-varying multipath propagation, long propagation times, and high temporal errors. This presents new challenges in the design and implementation of underwater wireless networks.

The goal of WUnderNet 2011 is to bring together researchers and industry experts in areas relevant to underwater networks. Different aspects of the protocol stack from the physical layer to the application layer, as well as cross-layer issues, will be represented. The objective is to serve as a forum for presenting state-of-the-art research, exchanging ideas and experiences, and facilitating interaction and collaboration.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Underwater network architecture design
• Novel / Cognitive communications techniques
• Cooperative communications
• Acoustic signal propagation and physical layer issues (modulation, waveform, MIMO, etc.)
• Delay-tolerant networking
• Distributed Signal Processing
• Network coding
• Medium access control
• Routing and data delivery
• Reliability and robustness
• Security issues
• Power management
• New underwater energy sources
• Localization and synchronization
• Data fusion and aggregation
• Cross-layer optimization
• Performance modeling and simulations
• New applications for underwater networks

Important Dates

Further Information