A loss-resistant method of seismic data transmission over wireless data networks

Henry C. Bland

A recent continuous seismic monitoring effort employed a wireless network for data transfer. Problems with maintaining network connectivity were observed and traced to data packet loss. The network protocol used in the project, TCP, was found to be ill-suited for the application. The TCP protocol reacts poorly to instances of packet loss as a result of random radio interference. A method for handshake-free data transmission is proposed. This technique uses a combination of data re-sequencing and interpolation-based reconstruction as a means of overcoming occasional packet loss. The method is illustrated with examples showing the effectiveness of this technique in transferring band-limited seismic data.