Ground-to-Satellite FSO Communication: Evaluating Modulation Techniques Under Cloud and Turbulence Effects

Free-space optical (FSO) communication is a vital solution to meet the growing demand for high-bandwidth satellite-to-ground communication, offering advantages such as higher data rates and security compared to traditional RF systems. However, its performance is significantly affected by meteorologi...

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Main Authors: Mouna Garai, Maha Sliti
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Scientific Research Support Fund of Jordan (SRSF) and Princess Sumaya University for Technology (PSUT) 2025-04-01
Series:Jordanian Journal of Computers and Information Technology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.ejmanager.com/fulltextpdf.php?mno=234994
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author Mouna Garai
Maha Sliti
author_facet Mouna Garai
Maha Sliti
author_sort Mouna Garai
collection DOAJ
description Free-space optical (FSO) communication is a vital solution to meet the growing demand for high-bandwidth satellite-to-ground communication, offering advantages such as higher data rates and security compared to traditional RF systems. However, its performance is significantly affected by meteorological conditions, particularly cloud formations (e.g., cirrus, cumulus, and stratocumulus) and atmospheric turbulence, which cause signal attenuation, scattering, and phase distortions. Addressing these challenges through better understanding and mitigation strategies is essential to ensure reliable and efficient performance of FSO systems under various atmospheric conditions. In this study, we evaluated the performance of ground-to-satellite FSO systems under varying atmospheric turbulence and cloud conditions using the OptiSystem simulator. We analyze multiple modulation techniques, including Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK), 8-Phase Shift Keying (8PSK), 16PSK, and 16-Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (16QAM), to assess their resilience based on link range, bit error rate (BER), quality factor, optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR), and error vector magnitude (EVM). The results demonstrate that QPSK outperforms higher-order modulation schemes in high-attenuation environments, maintaining the lowest BER and highest quality factor, making it the most suitable choice for FSO communication in satellite networks. These findings provide critical insights into the optimization of modulation strategies for robust and reliable ground-to-satellite optical links. [JJCIT 2025; 11(2.000): 260-278]
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issn 2413-9351
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publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher Scientific Research Support Fund of Jordan (SRSF) and Princess Sumaya University for Technology (PSUT)
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spelling doaj-art-77c2e2cdde8f4746a6a78286eccefc012025-08-20T02:00:51ZengScientific Research Support Fund of Jordan (SRSF) and Princess Sumaya University for Technology (PSUT)Jordanian Journal of Computers and Information Technology2413-93512415-10762025-04-0111226027810.5455/jjcit.71-1735327157234994Ground-to-Satellite FSO Communication: Evaluating Modulation Techniques Under Cloud and Turbulence EffectsMouna Garai0Maha Sliti1Higher institute of technological studies of Medenine, Tunisia University of Carthage, Higher School of Communication of Tunis (SUP'COM)Free-space optical (FSO) communication is a vital solution to meet the growing demand for high-bandwidth satellite-to-ground communication, offering advantages such as higher data rates and security compared to traditional RF systems. However, its performance is significantly affected by meteorological conditions, particularly cloud formations (e.g., cirrus, cumulus, and stratocumulus) and atmospheric turbulence, which cause signal attenuation, scattering, and phase distortions. Addressing these challenges through better understanding and mitigation strategies is essential to ensure reliable and efficient performance of FSO systems under various atmospheric conditions. In this study, we evaluated the performance of ground-to-satellite FSO systems under varying atmospheric turbulence and cloud conditions using the OptiSystem simulator. We analyze multiple modulation techniques, including Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK), 8-Phase Shift Keying (8PSK), 16PSK, and 16-Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (16QAM), to assess their resilience based on link range, bit error rate (BER), quality factor, optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR), and error vector magnitude (EVM). The results demonstrate that QPSK outperforms higher-order modulation schemes in high-attenuation environments, maintaining the lowest BER and highest quality factor, making it the most suitable choice for FSO communication in satellite networks. These findings provide critical insights into the optimization of modulation strategies for robust and reliable ground-to-satellite optical links. [JJCIT 2025; 11(2.000): 260-278]http://www.ejmanager.com/fulltextpdf.php?mno=234994atmospheric turbulencecloud attenuationfsogamma-gamma turbulence modelmodulation techniquesoptical ground-to-satellite link
spellingShingle Mouna Garai
Maha Sliti
Ground-to-Satellite FSO Communication: Evaluating Modulation Techniques Under Cloud and Turbulence Effects
Jordanian Journal of Computers and Information Technology
atmospheric turbulence
cloud attenuation
fso
gamma-gamma turbulence model
modulation techniques
optical ground-to-satellite link
title Ground-to-Satellite FSO Communication: Evaluating Modulation Techniques Under Cloud and Turbulence Effects
title_full Ground-to-Satellite FSO Communication: Evaluating Modulation Techniques Under Cloud and Turbulence Effects
title_fullStr Ground-to-Satellite FSO Communication: Evaluating Modulation Techniques Under Cloud and Turbulence Effects
title_full_unstemmed Ground-to-Satellite FSO Communication: Evaluating Modulation Techniques Under Cloud and Turbulence Effects
title_short Ground-to-Satellite FSO Communication: Evaluating Modulation Techniques Under Cloud and Turbulence Effects
title_sort ground to satellite fso communication evaluating modulation techniques under cloud and turbulence effects
topic atmospheric turbulence
cloud attenuation
fso
gamma-gamma turbulence model
modulation techniques
optical ground-to-satellite link
url http://www.ejmanager.com/fulltextpdf.php?mno=234994
work_keys_str_mv AT mounagarai groundtosatellitefsocommunicationevaluatingmodulationtechniquesundercloudandturbulenceeffects
AT mahasliti groundtosatellitefsocommunicationevaluatingmodulationtechniquesundercloudandturbulenceeffects