Weather-Induced Effects on FSO Systems in Desert Environments: A Case Study of Algeria

This study investigates Free Space Optical (FSO) communication performance in Algeria's desert environments, where extreme temperatures, low humidity, and dust storms challenge reliability. Through numerical simulations, we analyze atmospheric turbulence effects using the refractive index structure parameter (Cn²), specifically calibrated for El Oued's severe climate conditions.

Our research evaluates critical performance metrics including signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), bit error rate (BER), and scintillation index across different optical wavelengths. Results demonstrate that longer wavelengths (1550 nm) show significantly better turbulence resilience compared to shorter wavelengths (850 nm), providing essential guidance for FSO system design in arid regions. The study reveals a clear correlation between turbulence strength and signal degradation, with BER increasing exponentially under strong turbulence conditions.

Furthermore, we examine climate change impacts on FSO viability, as projections indicate increasing extreme heat, droughts, and dust storms in Algeria. These changes are expected to intensify atmospheric turbulence, potentially reducing FSO reliability by 15-20% in coming decades. Our analysis shows that adaptive wavelength selection and power adjustment strategies can mitigate these effects, maintaining acceptable performance levels even under worsening conditions.

This work provides both theoretical and practical contributions to FSO deployment in challenging environments. The Algerian case study offers valuable insights for similar desert regions worldwide, addressing the critical need for robust communication infrastructure in climate-vulnerable areas. Our findings support the development of more resilient FSO systems capable of withstanding the combined challenges of existing harsh conditions and future climate changes, while maintaining high-bandwidth performance essential for modern communication networks.