Underwater Optical Path Loss after Passage of a Tropical Storm

Peter C Chu,Chenwu Fan

doi:10.3390/app10144777

Peter C Chu, Chenwu Fan

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/app10144777

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Journal: Applied sciences	Publication Date: Jul 11, 2020
Citations: 1	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Naval Postgraduate School

Abstract

Underwater wireless optical communications (UWOCs) have attracted considerable attention in recent years as an alternative means for acoustic communication. However, optical path loss of light propagation from attenuation is in large part due to absorption and scattering in various water conditions. Identification of environmental effects, especially tropical storms on underwater optical path loss, is key to the success of using optics for UWOCs. Underwater inherent optical properties (IOPs), such as the beam attenuation coefficient for 470 nm light in the western North Pacific Ocean, were measured from U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office Seagliders deployed after Super Typhoon Guchol’s (June 7–20, 2012) passage from June 25 to June 30, 2012 and without any typhoon passage from January 9 to February 28, 2014. The two observed sets (with and without the super typhoon) of IOPs are taken as input for a recently developed radiative transfer equation solver. The simulated normalized received powers for the two durations show a large impact of typhoon passage on UWOCs.

Highlights

Optical beam propagation is a challenge in underwater wireless optical communication (UWOC)due to scattering and absorption in complicated water bodies, varying from deep oceans to shallow water, limiting the propagation of the optical beam [1]
The two observed sets of inherent optical properties (IOPs) are taken as input for a recently developed radiative transfer equation solver
Little attention has been paid to the effects of a typhoon’s or hurricane‘s passage on optical path loss, despite evidence suggesting that the strong winds significantly affect underwater inherent optical parameters (IOPs) such as the beam attenuation coefficient [6], and in turn the quality of UWOC [7]

Summary

Introduction

Optical beam propagation is a challenge in underwater wireless optical communication (UWOC). Little attention has been paid to the effects of a typhoon’s or hurricane‘s passage on optical path loss, despite evidence suggesting that the strong winds significantly affect underwater inherent optical parameters (IOPs) such as the beam attenuation coefficient [6], and in turn the quality of UWOC [7]. This may be because tropical storms are not a typical phenomenon in the area where UWOC links are used.

Selection of Typhoon-Influenced Area

15. It reached typhoon status on Juneon

IOPs with and without Typhoon Passage

Two-Dimensional RTE

Effect of Super Typhoon Guchol’s Passage

Conclusions