An underwater optical wireless communication network

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

The growing need for underwater observation and sub-sea monitoring systems has stimulated considerable interest in advancing the enabling technologies of underwater wireless communication and underwater sensor networks. This communication technology is expected to play an important role in investigating climate change, in monitoring biological, bio-geochemical, evolutionary and ecological changes in the sea, ocean and lake environments and in helping to control and maintain oil production facilities and harbors using unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), submarines, ships, buoys, and divers. However, the present technology of underwater acoustic communication cannot provide the high data rate required to investigate and monitor these environments and facilities. Optical wireless communication has been proposed as the best alternative to meet this challenge. We present models of three kinds of optical wireless communication links a) a line-of-sight link, b) a modulating retro-reflector link and c) a reflective link, all of which can provide the required data rate. We analyze the link performance based on these models. From the analysis, it is clear that as the water absorption increases, the communication performance decreases dramatically for the three link types. However, by using the scattered lighted it was possible to mitigate this decrease in some cases. We conclude from the analysis that a high data rate underwater optical wireless network is a feasible solution for emerging applications such as UUV to UUV links and networks of sensors, and extended ranges in these applications could be achieved by applying a multi-hop concept.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationFree-Space Laser Communications IX
DOIs
StatePublished - 26 Oct 2009
EventFree-Space Laser Communications IX - San Diego, CA, United States
Duration: 2 Aug 20093 Aug 2009

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume7464
ISSN (Print)0277-786X

Conference

ConferenceFree-Space Laser Communications IX
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CitySan Diego, CA
Period2/08/093/08/09

Keywords

  • Laser communication
  • Ocean
  • Optical wireless communication
  • Subsea
  • Underwater

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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