Modeling the Effects of Locational Uncertainty, Particles, and Turbulence in Non-Line-of-Sight UWOC Systems

Underwater wireless optical communication (UWOC) offers high-speed, low-latency data transmission but is challenged by absorption, scattering effects from particles and turbulence, and receiver locational uncertainty due to ocean dynamics. In this paper, we present a novel attenuation model that, for the first time, simultaneously accounts for the combined effects of particles, turbulence, and locational uncertainty in a non-line-of-sight (NLOS) multiple scattering underwater channel. Utilizing this model, we analyze the photon scattering process and quantify the impact of locational uncertainty on channel characteristics. Our results reveal that locational uncertainty significantly affects the scattering behavior of photons, increases the path loss (PL), and reduces the strength of the channel impulse response (CIR). Notably, the attenuation caused by locational uncertainty is independent of transceiver configurations and channel conditions, depending solely on the extent of the locational uncertainty. These findings underscore the importance of considering locational uncertainty in the analysis and design of UWOC systems to enhance their performance and reliability.