Problems of Underwater Optical Links Modeling

In traditional underwater communication systems, acoustic waves are commonly used. However, acoustic underwater systems have low bandwidth, which is not enough for modern wireless sensors and underwater vehicles. The use of radio waves also does not provide the desired combination of transmission speed and range. All this has led to the development of optical wireless underwater communication, as it potentially provides a higher data rate than traditional acoustic underwater communication systems with significantly lower energy consumption. One of the main difficulties in designing underwater optical wireless systems is the complexity of modeling the physical and chemical characteristics of ocean water. The purpose of this survey is to generalize the available models of underwater optical communication links taking into account the various propagation effects that affect the range and speed of the system.