Propagation of OAM-based vortex beams through moderate-to-strong oceanic turbulence

Abstract

We investigate the effects of moderate-to-strong oceanic turbulence on the propagation of orbital angular momentum (OAM) modes carried by Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) beams. The analytic expression of the signal OAM mode detection probability is derived based on the extended Rytov theory. Our results show that turbulence with smaller dissipation rate of mean-squared temperature, larger dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy per unit mass of fluid and smaller temperature-salinity balance parameter can improve the detection probability. The LG beam with a smaller azimuthal mode order, larger radial mode order and longer wavelength can be less affected by oceanic turbulence. Our results also indicate that Bessel-Gauss (BG) beams possess much better resistant ability to oceanic turbulence than LG beams in the moderate to strong turbulent ocean because of their non-diffraction and self-healing characteristics.