Enhancing and Securing Underwater Optical Wireless Communication Systems Using Identity Row Shift Matrix Code

Somia A. Abd El-Mottaleb; Marwa Samara; Mehtab Singh; Hassan Yousif Ahmed; Median Zeghid; Abu Sufian A. Osman

doi:10.48084/etasr.17362

Authors

Somia A. Abd El-Mottaleb Department of Mechatronics Engineering, Alexandria Higher Institute of Engineering and Technology, Alexandria, Egypt
Marwa Samara Department of Electronics and Communications Engineering, Alexandria Higher Institute of Engineering and Technology, Alexandria, Egypt
Mehtab Singh Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, University Institute of Engineering, Chandigarh University, Mohali 140413, India
Hassan Yousif Ahmed Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering in Wadi Alddawasir, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Wadi Alddawasir, Saudi Arabia
Median Zeghid Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering in Wadi Alddawasir, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Wadi Alddawasir, Saudi Arabia
Abu Sufian A. Osman Department of Mathematics, College of Science and Humanities in Al-Kharj, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia

Volume: 16 | Issue: 2 | Pages: 34149-34160 | April 2026 | https://doi.org/10.48084/etasr.17362

Received: 5 January 2026 | Revised: 25 February 2026 | Accepted: 28 February 2026 | Online: 4 April 2026

Corresponding author: Abu Sufian A. Osman

Abstract

Underwater Optical Wireless Communication (UOWC) systems face challenges of limited transmission range and security, particularly in varying underwater environments characterized by absorption and scattering effects. This paper presents a new approach to enhance and secure UOWC systems by integrating the Identity Row Shift Matrix (IRSM) code. The proposed scheme has been analyzed for its performance across five types of Jerlov waters, demonstrating effective mitigation of channel impairments and enhanced system reliability. Simulation results reveal achievable transmission ranges of 26 m, 23 m, 16.8 m, 10 m, and 4.5 m for Jerlov Types I, IA, IB, II, and III, respectively, under Line-of-Sight (LoS) underwater optical channel conditions. These ranges correspond to received optical power levels of −14.2 dBm, −13.8 dBm, −13.94 dBm, −14.13 dBm, and −14.44 dBm, respectively, while maintaining a Bit Error Rate (BER) below the Forward Error Correction (FEC) threshold of 3.8 × 10⁻³. The proposed system achieves a Q-factor exceeding 3, demonstrating reliable multi-user transmission under the adopted channel mode. Unlike conventional Optical Code Division Multiple Access (OCDMA)-based UOWC systems that rely on Optical Orthogonal Codes (OOC) with non-zero cross-correlation, the proposed IRSM-based scheme employs strictly orthogonal codes with zero cross-correlation, effectively eliminating multi-user interference while embedding physical-layer security directly into the coding structure. This inherent security prevents unauthorized users from decoding the transmitted data without requiring additional encryption or computational overhead. Furthermore, the proposed IRSM/UOWC system supports sustainable underwater monitoring applications by enabling reliable and secure short-range underwater communication, which is critical for environmental monitoring, marine resource management, and supporting sustainable oceanic operations. These findings highlight the potential of the IRSM/UOWC system as a robust solution for high-performance optical communication in diverse underwater environments.

Keywords:

Underwater Optical Wireless Communication (UOWC), Identity Row Shift Matrix (IRSM), Jerlov, Q-factor, Bit Error Rate (BER)

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