On the Performance of Multi-Wavelength Underwater Optical Channels in the Presence of Optical Turbulence

Abstract: This paper presents an analysis of the performance of a Gaussian optical beam as it propagates through the turbulent underwater optical channel (UWOC) under the weak turbulence regime, where optical signal experiences significant fading and scattering, all of which can severely degrade communication quality. It is assumed that on-off keying (OOK) modulation with direct detection is utilized to establish a duplex communication link. A multi-wavelength beam approach is implemented to enhance the performance by leveraging the distinct propagation characteristics of different wavelengths. Performance is established in terms of the probability of fade, number of fade per second, mean fade duration, and mean time between fades. The use of multi-wavelength beam is shown to enhance performance by a sizable margin.