Underwater optical wireless communications: depth dependent variations in attenuation.

Depth variations in the attenuation coefficient for light in the ocean were calculated using a one-parameter model based on the chlorophyll-a concentration C(c) and experimentally-determined Gaussian chlorophyll-depth profiles. The depth profiles were related to surface chlorophyll levels for the range 0-4  mg/m², representing clear, open ocean. The depth where C(c) became negligible was calculated to be shallower for places of high surface chlorophyll; 111.5 m for surface chlorophyll 0.8<C(c)<2.2  mg/m³ compared with 415.5 m for surface C(c)<0.04  mg/m³. Below this depth is the absolute minimum attenuation for underwater ocean communication links, calculated to be 0.0092  m⁻¹ at a wavelength of 430 nm. By combining this with satellite surface-chlorophyll data, it is possible to quantify the attenuation between any two locations in the ocean, with applications for low-noise or secure underwater communications and vertical links from the ocean surface.