Wireless sensor networks: towards resilience against weather-based disruptions

Abstract

The article discusses vulnerability of wireless sensors networks to weather-based disruptions considering the opinions of different experts published in a range of scientific materials. The introduction provides a brief overview of wireless signals in real world conditions focusing on how weather affects signals (rain, fog and clouds, snow, hail, lightning, wind, bodies of water, trees and physical obstruction). Information about the effects of weather on wireless sensor networks using Free Space Optical / Radio Frequency (FSO/RF) communication is then provided. Finally, the impact of weather conditions on MANET routing protocols is considered theoretically, and experimental simulations are performed by comparing the sustainability of different protocols to different weather conditions. After analysis of experiment results, ideas on how to decrease vulnerability of wireless networks to weather-based disruptions are discussed.