AI Insight
This perspective article examines the potential of longitudinally structured light beams, such as Bessel beams and other non-diffracting or propagation-invariant optical fields, for improving optical ranging and distance measurement in turbid underwater environments. Unlike conventional Gaussian beams, longitudinally structured beams maintain certain spatial properties over extended propagation distances, which may offer advantages in scattering-dominant media such as seawater with suspended particles. The article discusses the physical principles underlying these beam types and evaluates their theoretical and practical suitability for underwater LiDAR or time-of-flight ranging applications where turbidity degrades signal quality.
Why it matters
Reliable underwater optical ranging has direct applications in marine navigation, submarine inspection, environmental monitoring, and underwater robotics, where acoustic methods lack the spatial resolution needed for fine-scale imaging. Advancing optical techniques that can partially overcome the limitations imposed by turbid water could improve safety and data quality in these operations.