Modeling Ambient Light in Stratified Waters for Underwater Optical Wireless Communication

Underwater optical wireless communication (UOWC) is a research field that has gained popularity with the advent of unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV). Its utilization is crucial in marine industries engaging in sustainable alternatives for food production and energy provision. Although UOWC can meet the high data rate and low latency requirements of underwater video transmission for UUV operations, the links that enable such communication are affected by inhomogeneous light attenuation and the presence of sunlight. Here, we present how the underwater spectral distribution of the light field could be modeled along the depths of eight different stratified oceanic water types. It details how this spectral distribution could be estimated by combining with other established models, such as SPCTRL2, Haltrin’s single parameter model for inherent optical properties, and a model for the estimation of the depth-distribution of chlorophyll-a concentration based on satellite information of the surface chlorophyll-a concentration. The results show a significant penetration of the blue-green solar spectra in both clear and coastal waters, significantly increasing ambient noise and thus challenging the common belief that the blue-green spectrum is the most suitable for underwater communication.