Performance Evaluation of Underwater Optical Communication System Using Numerical and Physical Modeling

Abstract

Underwater optical wireless communication (UOWC) is gaining significance beyond security and defense, extending to applications such as underwater exploration, surveillance, and vehicle networking. Optical communication offers advantages like higher data rates, compact system size, and easier deployment on small underwater remotely operated vehicles than acoustic methods. However, UOWC faces challenges due to the dynamic underwater environment, including turbidity and salinity variations, which impact performance. This paper investigates the feasibility of UOWC using commercially available components such as Avalanche photodiodes, LEDs, and laser diodes. The effectiveness of the communication link is evaluated through numerical modeling and validated using an experimental setup. Key performance metrics, including bit error rate, are analyzed to assess different modulation schemes and their impact on communication efficiency. Baseband modulation and forward error correction techniques are explored to enhance reliability. By combining theoretical analysis with practical implementation using a UOWC testbed, this work provides valuable insights into system performance under varying environmental conditions, contributing to the advancement of UOWC technology for real-world applications.

Received: 30 October 2024 | Revised: 19 March 2025 | Accepted: 24 June 2025

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work.

Data Availability Statement

Data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Author Contribution Statement

Dhanush Devappa B C: Methodology, Software, Investigation, Data curation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization. Kalyani Pawar: Validation, Investigation. Shreyas Jain: Formal analysis, Writing-review & editing. Appala Venkata Ramana Murthy: Conceptualization, Resources, Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Supervision, Project administration, Funding acquisition.