Optical ground station diversity for satellite quantum key distribution in Ireland

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Anipeddi, Naga Lakshmi and Horgan, Jerry and Oi, Daniel K L and Kilbane, Deirdre (2024) Optical ground station diversity for satellite quantum key distribution in Ireland. Other. arXiv.org.

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Abstract

Space quantum communications is a potential means for establishing global secure communications and quantum networking. Despite pioneering demonstrations of satellite quantum key distribution, considerable challenges remain for wide deployment such as the local effects of the atmosphere on the transmission of single-photon level quantum signals. As part of Ireland's efforts to establish quantum links with the rest of Europe and further afield, we present a preliminary study of the feasibility of satellite quantum key distribution taking into account geographic and weather effects on the space-Earth channel. Weather data over 5 years covering 4 locations across Ireland were used to assess performance and the prospects of optical ground station (OGS) geographic diversity to improve service availability. Despite significant cloud cover that may reduce the performance of a single OGS location, the use of a 4-OGS network can provide up to 45% improvement for a single satellite exploiting anti-correlation in cloud cover, though most gains are achieved with 2 or 3 OGSs.

ORCID iDs

Anipeddi, Naga Lakshmi, Horgan, Jerry, Oi, Daniel K L ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0965-9509 and Kilbane, Deirdre;
  • Item type:Monograph(Other)
    ID code:92790
    Dates:
    Date
    Event
    16 August 2024
    Published
    Subjects:Science > Physics
    Department:Faculty of Science > Physics
    Depositing user: Pure Administrator
    Date deposited:08 May 2025 14:02
    Last modified:08 May 2025 14:02
    URI:https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/92790
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