Method and apparatus for wavelength diversity in free-space optical communications

A method, comprising:

• receiving optical signals from a transmission medium having characteristics of a turbulent channel, wherein a transmitter generates multiple optical wavelengths, modulates the multiple optical wavelengths from digital input data to create correlated optical signals, and transmits the correlated optical signals across the transmission medium that produces the optical signals;
• converting of the optical signals to electrical signals to enable processing the electrical signals in a modem that produces output data and additional information, wherein the converting is performed according to a combination of the received optical signals with a local oscillator optical signal in an optical hybrid to produce the electrical signals or according to intensity detection, wherein the local oscillator optical signal comprises other multiple optical wavelengths, and wherein the other multiple optical wavelengths are generated by a same or a different method of generation of the multiple optical wavelengths;
• and
• based on the additional information, generating one or more control signals directed to a phase alignment stage for compensating at least in part turbulent effects experienced by the optical signals while propagating through the turbulent channel, wherein the compensating performed by the phase alignment stage improves coherent summing of the electrical signals by reducing turbulent effects in the optical signals, and wherein the other multiple optical wavelengths are aligned to the multiple optical wavelengths using the additional information, the one or more control signals, the phase alignment stage, or combinations thereof.

A machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by circuitry, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:

• receiving optical signals from a transmission medium having characteristics of a turbulent channel, wherein a transmitter generates multiple optical wavelengths, modulates the multiple optical wavelengths from digital input data to create correlated optical signals, and transmits the correlated optical signals across the transmission medium that produces the optical signals;
• converting of the optical signals to electrical signals to enable processing the electrical signals in a modem that produces output data and additional information;
• and
• processing the additional information to generate one or more control signals directed to a phase alignment stage for compensating at least in part turbulent effects experienced by the optical signals while propagating through the turbulent channel, wherein the compensating performed by the phase alignment stage improves coherent summing of the electrical signals by reducing turbulent effects in the optical signals, wherein entropy of the additional information is greater than 1 giga bits per second, and wherein latency of the additional information is less than 10 microseconds.