Preliminary analytical method for unsupervised remote sensing image classification based on visual perception and a force field

Abstract

The analysis of remote sensing (RS) images, which is often accomplished using unsupervised image classification techniques, requires an effective method to determine an appropriate number of classification clusters. This paper proposes a preliminary analytical method to evaluate the input parameters for unsupervised RS image classification. Our approach involves first analysing the colour spaces of RS images based on the human visual perception theory. This enables the initial number of clusters and their corresponding centres to be automatically established based on the interaction of different forces in our supposed force field. The proposed approach can automatically determine the appropriate initial number of clusters and their corresponding centres for unsupervised image classification. A comparison of the experimental results with those of existing methods showed that the proposed method can considerably facilitate unsupervised image classification for acquiring accurate results efficiently and effectively without any prior knowledge.