Simulation and Design of an Underwater Lidar System Using Non-Coaxial Optics and Multiple Detection Channels

Abstract

The efficacy of underwater laser detection is considerably impacted by the intense attenuation of light resulting from the scattering and absorption effects of water. In this study, we present the simulation and design of the underwater Lidar system that integrates the paraxial multi-channel detection strategy to enhance the dynamic range in subsea environments. To evaluate the performance of the system with multiple detection channels, we introduce a multi-channel underwater Lidar simulation (MULS) method based on the radiative transfer Lidar equations. Experimental validations were conducted under varied water conditions to assess the performance of the prototype and validate the simulation results. The measured range accuracy of each channel in the prototype is better than 0.1085 m, and the simulated and measured waveforms exhibit strong correlations, verifying the reliability and validity of the simulation method. The effects of transceiver configuration and the maximum detectable range of different detection methods were also discussed. Preliminary results indicate that the paraxial multi-channel design effectively suppresses near-field backscattering and substantially enhances the maximum detectable range. The findings presented in this study may provide valuable insights for the design and optimization of future underwater laser detection systems.