Acoustic Sensor Networks for Decommissioning

Progress is reported with an acoustic sensor network that offers the possibility to provide monitoring of nuclear storage ponds. The aim is to create a network that comprises a number of autonomous sensor nodes that communicate and localise using ultrasonic signals. The nodes are less than 20cm dimension and are able to manoeuvre themselves, horizontally and vertically, to selected positions where they can then record measurements of selected parameters. Ultrasonic signal propagation has been explored in a 6m benign test pond with representative clutter. The paper describes progress with communications, localisation and a small autonomous underwater vehicle. Results suggest that localisation might be achieved to an accuracy of about 10cm and data might be communicated up to 1 kbit/s assuming a bit error rate of 10–4.