Design challenges in application-aware Wireless Sensor Networks

The deployment of Wireless Sensor Networks at sea provides on-site, distributed sensing of specific events. They can be complementary to existing satellite and airborne radar monitoring, providing continuous and real-time data feed. Of particular interest is chemical spill, such as oil slick. As unexpected occurrences, it is not possible to predict the location, size or weather conditions affecting the region. We present a simulation framework for a large-scale sensor network deployment at sea. Our main objective is to develop communication algorithms for localized maritime monitoring using realistic channel and weather models. The design choices are based on the application scenario description, through a bottom-up approach. Wireless channel and physical layer are fundamental for trustworthiness of results, thus particular focus is given to their model selection. The network architecture is based on a cluster protocol with application-specific decisions. The aim is to provide the best compromise between energy consumption, message delivery and network connectivity under dynamic environments.