Covert Underwater Acoustic Communication Using Marine Ambient Noise Without Detectable Features

Learning from steganography, this study considers ocean ambient noise as a carrier and proposes a covert underwater acoustic communication scheme without detectable and repetitive features. We modulate the information in the parameters of the steganography operation rather than the specific signal w...

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Main Authors: Biao Liu, Jianchun Huang, Ning Jia, Biao Wang, Shengming Guo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/12/12/2217
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author Biao Liu
Jianchun Huang
Ning Jia
Biao Wang
Shengming Guo
author_facet Biao Liu
Jianchun Huang
Ning Jia
Biao Wang
Shengming Guo
author_sort Biao Liu
collection DOAJ
description Learning from steganography, this study considers ocean ambient noise as a carrier and proposes a covert underwater acoustic communication scheme without detectable and repetitive features. We modulate the information in the parameters of the steganography operation rather than the specific signal waveforms. The steganography operation mainly includes three steps: symmetrical division, phase rotation, and time–domain inversion. The rotation phases are related to the transmitted information. The receiver demodulates by performing the same operation, like transmitter without knowing transmitted waveforms. Therefore, we can use countless ocean ambient noise signals to transmit the same information, which can avoid repetitive features. To optimize the communication performance, the relationship between the demodulation output value and the rotation phases is derived, and the optimal modulation parameter setting methods of modulation are given. Finally, the simulation and sea trial results show that the bit error ratio of the studied covert underwater acoustic communication scheme is approximately 5 × 10<sup>−4</sup> at a signal-to-noise ratio of −4 dB, which verifies the effectiveness of the scheme, and the rate is 4 bps. And the results of cyclic spectrum, cepstrum and square frequency-doubling methods show that the signal of the studied scheme does not have any detectable features.
format Article
id doaj-art-4da1be7c4bd645af8a78d5fcab7c5cb9
institution OA Journals
issn 2077-1312
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
spelling doaj-art-4da1be7c4bd645af8a78d5fcab7c5cb92025-08-20T02:00:46ZengMDPI AGJournal of Marine Science and Engineering2077-13122024-12-011212221710.3390/jmse12122217Covert Underwater Acoustic Communication Using Marine Ambient Noise Without Detectable FeaturesBiao Liu0Jianchun Huang1Ning Jia2Biao Wang3Shengming Guo4Ocean College, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, ChinaInstitute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, ChinaInstitute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, ChinaOcean College, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, ChinaInstitute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, ChinaLearning from steganography, this study considers ocean ambient noise as a carrier and proposes a covert underwater acoustic communication scheme without detectable and repetitive features. We modulate the information in the parameters of the steganography operation rather than the specific signal waveforms. The steganography operation mainly includes three steps: symmetrical division, phase rotation, and time–domain inversion. The rotation phases are related to the transmitted information. The receiver demodulates by performing the same operation, like transmitter without knowing transmitted waveforms. Therefore, we can use countless ocean ambient noise signals to transmit the same information, which can avoid repetitive features. To optimize the communication performance, the relationship between the demodulation output value and the rotation phases is derived, and the optimal modulation parameter setting methods of modulation are given. Finally, the simulation and sea trial results show that the bit error ratio of the studied covert underwater acoustic communication scheme is approximately 5 × 10<sup>−4</sup> at a signal-to-noise ratio of −4 dB, which verifies the effectiveness of the scheme, and the rate is 4 bps. And the results of cyclic spectrum, cepstrum and square frequency-doubling methods show that the signal of the studied scheme does not have any detectable features.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/12/12/2217covert underwater acoustic communicationsteganographyoptimal modulation parameters
spellingShingle Biao Liu
Jianchun Huang
Ning Jia
Biao Wang
Shengming Guo
Covert Underwater Acoustic Communication Using Marine Ambient Noise Without Detectable Features
Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
covert underwater acoustic communication
steganography
optimal modulation parameters
title Covert Underwater Acoustic Communication Using Marine Ambient Noise Without Detectable Features
title_full Covert Underwater Acoustic Communication Using Marine Ambient Noise Without Detectable Features
title_fullStr Covert Underwater Acoustic Communication Using Marine Ambient Noise Without Detectable Features
title_full_unstemmed Covert Underwater Acoustic Communication Using Marine Ambient Noise Without Detectable Features
title_short Covert Underwater Acoustic Communication Using Marine Ambient Noise Without Detectable Features
title_sort covert underwater acoustic communication using marine ambient noise without detectable features
topic covert underwater acoustic communication
steganography
optimal modulation parameters
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/12/12/2217
work_keys_str_mv AT biaoliu covertunderwateracousticcommunicationusingmarineambientnoisewithoutdetectablefeatures
AT jianchunhuang covertunderwateracousticcommunicationusingmarineambientnoisewithoutdetectablefeatures
AT ningjia covertunderwateracousticcommunicationusingmarineambientnoisewithoutdetectablefeatures
AT biaowang covertunderwateracousticcommunicationusingmarineambientnoisewithoutdetectablefeatures
AT shengmingguo covertunderwateracousticcommunicationusingmarineambientnoisewithoutdetectablefeatures