Underwater Acoustic Sensor Networks : A Survey on MAC and Routing Protocols

In this paper, a detailed survey on the current protocols for medium access control layer and routing layer in the area underwater acoustic sensor networks are given. This survey is on some of the best MAC protocols and routing protocols and also it compares them based on some critical parameters which are considered a constraint in underwater acoustic communication Keywords Medium access control protocol, network layer protocols, and underwater acoustics. 1. INTRODUCTION Underwater sensor networks are becoming popular every day due to their unique characteristics that make them easy to deploy in areas where adverse environmental conditions exist. Underwater sensor nodes play a major role in pollution monitoring in environmental systems, remote control in the offshore oil industry, collection of scientific data that is observed at ocean-bottom stations, navigational assistance and surveying ocean floor to search for new resources, disaster prevention and tactical surveillance applic...