Research on Underwater Wireless Optical Communication Channel Model and Its Application

Abstract

Underwater wireless optical communication (UWOC) is an emerging technology with wide-ranging applications in marine exploration, offshore industries, environmental monitoring, and underwater robotics. In order to investigate the application of UWOC in environments of different water quality, this study establishes a model of an optical communication channel and analyzes the impact of water quality on communication range. Our experimental design is employed to validate the effectiveness of the model and analyze the sources of model errors. Furthermore, this research introduces the concept of an “effective communication space” for underwater optical wireless communication and constructs an experimental platform to test the effective communication space under various water quality conditions. In addition, the application methods and workflow of wireless optical communication on underwater mobile platforms are discussed, and field tests are conducted in a practical lake environment to verify the application value of the effective communication space. This research offers valuable guidance for advancing the study and engineering applications of UWOC technology.