Physical layer characterization of smart-antenna equipped mobile ad-hoc network nodes in an urban environment

Mobile ad-hoc networks in which each network node is equipped with a smart antenna offers connectivity and high capacity in dynamic and complex battlefield environments. Characterizing the performance of these networks, however, is challenging due to the complex relationship between the propagation environment and node location. Consequently, performance predictions for mobile ad-hoc networks often make simplistic assumptions about the physical layer and thus the rate-delay characteristics of each communication link. In this paper we use computational electromagnetic modeling techniques to study the variation of the link quality as a function of propagation environment between nodes in urban battlefield mobile ad-hoc network nodes where each node is equipped with a smart antenna array. This technique makes use of the method of moments (MoM) to consider near-field scattering and mutual coupling effects as well as electromagnetic ray tracing (ERT) to model far-field propagation in a site-specific environment specified by computer-aided design (CAD) model. Large scale simulation results in a model corresponding to Philadelphia, PA, shows substantial variation in capacity while also motivating an electromagnetic approach for network characterization.