Effects of underwater swing nodes on water-to-air visible light communication

Abstract

In water-to-air visible light communication (W2A-VLC), the dynamics of underwater nodes and a wavy water surface should not be neglected. This paper investigates the link performance by combining the dynamic effects of an underwater light-emitting diode (LED) transmitter with a wavy water surface. Monte Carlo simulation is first adopted to evaluate the underwater LED dynamics. Experimental tests are then conducted to measure and analyze the influence of underwater dynamic parameters on link performance, which shows results consistent with theoretical prediction. It is demonstrated that the swing angle dominates the stability and reliability of the W2A-VLC link under a dynamic water surface, providing some insight into the design of underwater optical transmitters.