Atmospheric Effects on Satellite–Ground Free Space Uplink and Downlink Optical Transmissions

Abstract

Free space optical (FSO) communications have the potential to be one of the most essential technologies for solving the high-bandwidth demands of communications between satellites and ground stations. In this study, we examine the impact of the atmosphere on satellite–ground FSO uplink and downlink communications. To consider diverse atmospheric conditions on both uplink and downlink, we derive FSO channel elements such as the fog attenuation coefficient, refractive index parameter, coherence length, turbulence model, and angle-of-arrival fluctuation. Unlike conventional work, we provide FSO channel analysis based on variations in the Fried parameter, zenith angle, scintillation index, and Rytov variance. Using simulation results from the optical settings, we examine the influence on channel performance of conditions such as atmospheric attenuation and intensity fluctuation. Based on this examination, we determine that 1550 nm is the preferred wavelength for both uplink and downlink FSO channels to mitigate the impact of turbulence and that larger receiver apertures lessen angle-of-arrival changes.