Abstract
Quantum key distribution (QKD) has attracted much attention on secure communications across global networks. QKD over satellite networks can overcome the limitations of terrestrial optical networks, such as large attenuation over long distance fiber channel and difficulty of intercontinental domain communications. Different QKD networks (around the world) can intercommunicate through quantum satellites, leading to a global quantum network in near future. This raises a new resource allocation and management problem of QKD involving multiple satellite layers and distributed ground stations. Using existing schemes, a single satellite cannot perform QKD for ground stations for the whole day. Moreover, the research problem is more challenging due to limitations of satellite coverage: limited cover time of low earth orbit (LEO) satellite, high channel losses of geostationary earth orbit (GEO) satellite, etc. To overcome these limitations, our study proposes a double-layer quantum satellite network (QSN) implemented quantum key pool (QKP) to relay keys for ground stations. We propose a new architecture of trusted-repeater-based double-layer quantum satellite networks, comprising GEO and LEO satellites. We also address the routing and key allocation (RKA) problem for key-relay services over QSNs. We propose a novel joint GEO-LEO routing and key allocation (JGL-RKA) algorithm to solve the RKA problem. Simulative results show that the proposed scheme can increase success probability of key-relay services significantly. We also present the impact of different route selections mechanisms, number of satellite links, satellite node capability, and service granularity on network performance.
Highlights
Secure communication for the applications across networks is gaining increasing attention from the research community
Our study proposes a novel solution to the routing and key allocation (RKA) problem for key-relay services, using double-layer (GEO and low earth orbit (LEO)) satellite networks, which maximizes the number of generated secret keys
SIMULATION RESULTS To evaluate the performance of joint GEO-LEO routing and key allocation (JGL-RKA) algorithm, the simulation is performed on a satellite topology with 66 LEO, 3 geostationary earth orbit (GEO), and terrestrial network with 25 ground stations distributed across the globe
Summary
Secure communication for the applications across networks is gaining increasing attention from the research community. Geostationary earth orbit (GEO) satellites can access ground stations continuously, all day Their signal can suffer from high channel loss and limited key generation rate. Our study proposes a novel solution to the routing and key allocation (RKA) problem for key-relay services, using double-layer (GEO and LEO) satellite networks, which maximizes the number of generated secret keys. The major contributions of this study are: 1) we propose a new architecture of double-layer quantum satellite networks based on trusted-repeaters. Due to the long distance of satellite links, the secret key rate is limited and the round-trip delay is high To overcome these challenges, quantum key pool (QKP) can be constructed between satellite to ground and between. Since GEO satellites could provide long QKD performing time and high coverage rate, it stores the generated keys in satellite-ground QKP. As for key relaying, GEO can transmit XOR keys to ground stations and LEOs in radio links by broadcasts
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