Exploit the Performance of the Localization Algorithm for Wireless Sensor Networks Under Gamma Radiation

Abstract

With the advancement of computer and communication technologies, Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are increasingly used in nuclear and space applications to monitor radiation fields. The sensor data from the WSN is accompanied by the sensor node’s location relative to a geographical map of the monitored region. For reasons of cost, power, and GPS inaccessibility, localization algorithms that do not rely on GPS technology are used in nuclear and space applications working in high intensity radiation environments since gamma-ray damage to semiconductor devices is cumulative and can result in the premature failure of WSN nodes. In this paper, the performance of localization algorithms is evaluated for WSNs in a gamma-ray radiation environment, using Network Simulator 2 (NS2) simulation and a statistical model based on experimental results of radiation-damage tests in the Gamma-220 facility at the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL). The resulting performance analyses provide useful design insights and considerations for nuclear and space applications.