Bit error rate of pulse position modulated optical wireless communication links in oceanic turbulence

Abstract

The upper bound of the average bit error rate (BER) of a pulse position modulated (PPM) optical wireless communication (OWC) link operating in oceanic turbulence is formulated. BER variations against the changes in the ratio of temperature to salinity contributions to the refractive index spectrum, the rate of dissipation of mean-squared temperature, and the rate of dissipation of kinetic energy per unit mass of fluid are found at various data bit rates, average current gains of the avalanche photodiode (APD), and M values of the M-ary PPM. It is found that under any oceanic turbulence parameters, BER performance of the PPM OWC system becomes favorable at smaller data bit rates, M values, and at larger average current gains of APD.