Small scale characterization of marine channel using the finite-difference time domain method

Robust communication is of primary concern in marine surface vessel communications systems. Unlike the terrestrial networks, advancement in maritime networks is severely lagging behind its land counterpart. In the present work, a channel-modeling effort using the finite-difference time domain method (FDTD) is conducted to assess the effects of sea surface conditions on the marine communications. A two dimensional electromagnetic (EM) simulator has been developed which utilizes modified Pierson Moskowitz (PM) spectral model to generate a random sea surface from which multipath scattering is produced. Data analysis conducted on the transient EM simulation results has produced small scale characteristics as a function of distance for fixed observable sea surface height.