A new pan-sharpening method using multiobjective particle swarm optimization and the shiftable contourlet transform

In this paper, a novel approach based on multiobjective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) is presented for panchromatic (Pan) sharpening of a multispectral (MS) image. This new method could transfer spatial details of the pan image into a high-resolution version of the MS image, while color information from the low-resolution MS image is well preserved. The pan and MS images are locally different because of different resolutions, and therefore we cannot directly combine them in the spatial domain. For this reason, we generate two initial results, which are more appropriate for a weighted combination. First, the pan and the MS images are histogram matched. Then we use the shiftable contourlet transform (SCT) to decompose the histogram-matched pan and MS images. The SCT is a new shiftable and modified version of the contourlet transform. In this step, an algorithm based on the SCT is used to generate two initial results of the high-resolution MS images. Our objective is to produce two modified high-resolution MS images, in which one has high spatial similarity to the pan image and the other one has high radiometric quality in each band. Therefore, we have used two different fusion rules to integrate the high-frequency contourlet coefficients of the pan and MS images to generate two initial results of high-resolution MS image or the pan-sharpened (PS) image. Finally, we can find the optimal PS image by applying the MOPSO algorithm and using the two initial PS results. Specifically, the PS image is obtained via a weighted combination of the two initial results, in which the weights are locally estimated via a multiobjective particle swarm optimization algorithm to generate a PS image with high spatial and radiometric qualities. Based on experimental results obtained, the produced pan-sharpened image also has good spectral quality. The efficiency of the proposed method is tested by performing pan-sharpening of high-resolution (Quickbird and Wordview2) and medium-resolution (Landsat-7 ETM +) datasets. Extensive comparisons with the state-of-the-art pan-sharpening algorithms indicate that our new method provides improved subjective and objective results.     

ISVR: an improved synthetic variable ratio method for image fusion

An Improved Synthetic Variable Ratio (ISVR) fusion method is proposed to merge high spatial resolution panchromatic (Pan) images and multispectral (MS) images based on a simulation of the panchromatic image from the multispectral bands. Compared to the existing SVR (Synthetic Variable Ratio) family methods, the ISVR method manifests two major improvements: a simplified and physically meaningful scheme to derive the parameters necessary as required by SVR, and less computing power. Two sets of IKONOS Pan and MS images: one in urban area and another one in a forest area, were used to evaluate the effectiveness of classification-oriented ISVR method in comparison to the Principal Component Substitution (PCS), Synthetic Variable Ratio (SVR) and Gram-Schmidt Spectral Sharpening (GS) methods that are available in the ENVI software package. Results indicate the ISVR method achieves the best spectral fidelity to facilitate classification compared to PCS, SVR, and GS methods.     

A new Pansharpening Approach Based on NonSubsampled Contourlet Transform Using Enhanced PCA Applied to SPOT and ALSAT-2A Satellite Images

The Pansharpening process aims to merge the high spatial resolution of the panchromatic (Pan) image with the spectral information of the multispectral (MS) images. The fused images should represent an enhanced spatial resolution and should preserve the spectral information simultaneously. In the two last decades, many pansharpening algorithms have been implemented in the literature such as IHS, PCA, HPF, etc. Therefore, in comparison with the various conventional methods, our contribution is the conception of a new fusion scheme by combining two different approaches: the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and the NonSubsampled Contourlet Transform (NSCT). The hypothesis in this combination represent the use of PCA, in first, like statistical approach to obtain from the MS bands the main information, followed by the NSCT as a robust multiresolution and multidirectional approach, to give an optimal representation of the characteristics in the image compared to the classical methods (wavelets), in order to overcome the drawback caused by PCA with the spectral distortion. The focus of this study is to show a new way to combine differently from usual those two approaches, to find a compromise between enhancing the spatial resolution and preserving the spectral information at the same time. The quality of the resulted images has been evaluated by the visual interpretation and the statistical assessment to prove its efficiency compared to other conventional methods.     

联合IHS 变换和MAP 估计的遥感图像融合

为了提高多光谱图像和全色图像的融合质量, 提出一种基于推广的IHS(Generalized Intensity-Hue-Saturation, GIHS)变换与最大后验概率MAP(Maximum a Posteriori)相结合的遥感图像融合算法。该算法首先经过GIHS 变换, 由多光谱图像得到强度分量; 其次针对强度分量和全色图像, 通过MAP 构建高分辨率图像的成像模型, 采用最速下 降优化算法得到富含光谱信息的高分辨率全色图像; 进而依据GIHS 变换得到融合图像。实验中分别以IKONOS 卫 星、Quickbird 卫星的多光谱图像和全色图像为例, 进行融合算法验证, 并与GIHS 融合算法、传统的小波变换融合 算法、小波变换结合IHS 变换的融合算法等进行比较分析, 实验表明, 新的融合方法具有更好的融合效果。     

Fusion of multispectral and panchromatic Satellite images using the curvelet transform

A useful technique in various applications of remote sensing involves the fusion of different types of satellite images, namely multispectral (MS) satellite images with a high spectral and low spatial resolution and panchromatic (Pan) satellite image with a low spectral and high spatial resolution. Recent studies show that wavelet-based image fusion provides high-quality spectral content in fused images. However, the results of most wavelet-based methods of image fusion have a spatial resolution that is less than that obtained via the Brovey, intensity-hue-saturation, and principal components analysis methods of image fusion. We introduce an improved method of image fusion which is based on the amelioration de la resolution spatiale par injection de structures (ARSIS) concept using the curvelet transform, because the curvelet transform represents edges better than wavelets. Because edges are fundamental in image representation, enhancing the edges is an effective means of enhancing spatial resolution. Curvelet-based image fusion has been used to merge a Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus Pan and MS image. The proposed method simultaneously provides richer information in the spatial and spectral domains.     

DCT Based Pansharpening of Satellite Images Using Adaptive Linear Model

Remote sensing offers a wide variety of image data with different characteristics in terms of spatial and spectral resolutions. For optical sensor systems, imaging systems have a trade-off between high spatial and high spectral resolution, and no single system offers both. Hence, in the remote sensing application, an image with ‘greater quality’ often means higher spatial and higher spectral resolution. It is, therefore, necessary and very useful to merge images with higher spectral information and higher spatial information. Pansharpening combines spatial information from the high-resolution panchromatic image and color information from multispectral bands to create a high-resolution color image. Here we propose Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) based pansharpening algorithm using Adaptive Linear model which preserves spectral information from Multispectral image and retains spatial resolution of Panchromatic image.     

Bi-cubic interpolation for shift-free pan-sharpening

Most of pan-sharpening techniques require the re-sampling of the multi-spectral (MS) image for matching the size of the panchromatic (Pan) image, before the geometric details of Pan are injected into the MS image. This operation is usually performed in a separable fashion by means of symmetric digital low-pass filtering kernels with odd lengths that utilize piecewise local polynomials, typically implementing linear or cubic interpolation functions. Conversely, constant, i.e. nearest-neighbour, and quadratic kernels, implementing zero and two degree polynomials, respectively, introduce shifts in the magnified images, that are sub-pixel in the case of interpolation by an even factor, as it is the most usual case. However, in standard satellite systems, the point spread functions (PSF) of the MS and Pan instruments are centered in the middle of each pixel. Hence, commercial MS and Pan data products, whose scale ratio is an even number, are relatively shifted by an odd number of half pixels. Filters of even lengths may be exploited to compensate the half-pixel shifts between the MS and Pan sampling grids. In this paper, it is shown that separable polynomial interpolations of odd degrees are feasible with linear-phase kernels of even lengths. The major benefit is that bi-cubic interpolation, which is known to represent the best trade-off between performances and computational complexity, can be applied to commercial MS + Pan datasets, without the need of performing a further half-pixel registration after interpolation, to align the expanded MS with the Pan image.     

Automated lithological mapping by integrating spectral enhancement techniques and machine learning algorithms using AVIRIS-NG hyperspectral data in Gold-bearing granite-greenstone rocks in Hutti,India

In this study, we proposed an automated lithological mapping approach by using spectral enhancement techniques and Machine Learning Algorithms (MLAs) using Airborne Visible Infrared Imaging Spectroradiometer-Next Generation (AVIRIS-NG) hyperspectral data in the greenstone belt of the Hutti area, India. We integrated spectral enhancement techniques such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Independent Component Analysis (ICA) transformation and different MLAs for an accurate mapping of rock types. A conjugate utilization of conventional geological map and spectral enhancement products derived from ASTER data were used for the preparation of a high-resolution reference lithology map. Feature selection and extraction methods were applied on the AVIRIS-NG data to derive different input dataset such as (a) all spectral bands, (b) shortwave infrared bands, (c) Joint Mutual Information Maximization (JMIM) based optimum bands, and (d) optimum bands using PCA, to choose optimum input dataset for automated lithological mapping. The comparative analysis of different MLAs shows that the Support Vector Machine (SVM) outperforms other Machine Learning (ML) models. The SVM achieved an Overall Accuracy (OA) and Kappa Coefficient (k) of 85.48% and 0.83, respectively, using JMIM based optimum bands. The JMIM based optimum bands were more suitable than other input datasets to classify most of the lithological units (i.e. metabasalt, amphibolite, granite, acidic intrusive and migmatite) within the study area . The sensitivity analysis performed in this study illustrates that the SVM is less sensitive to the number of samples and mislabeling in the model training than other MLAs. The obtained high-resolution classified map with accurate litho-contacts of amphibolite, metabasalt, and granite can be coupled with an alteration map of the area for targeting the potential zone of gold mineralization.     

SPOT-7遥感图像融合技术对比研究

随着高分辨率影像研究的发展,影像融合成为遥感影像处理领域中一个重要的研究方向。目前对于影像的融合已有很多的方法,如IHS法、HPF法等。本文将以SPOT-7高分辨率影像作为研究对象,探讨经PCA法、Pansharpening法、Gram-Schmidt法、NNDiffuse法这4种融合方法,融合后的影像在保持地物的波谱特征,以及信息识别效果等多方面的各自优势,并通过定性和定量评价来确定适合SPOT-7高分辨率影像的融合方法,实验结果表明:NNDiffuse方法的融合结果最为理想。     

高分辨率多光谱影像城区建筑物提取研究

城区高空间分辨率遥感数据由于存在大量同物异谱和异物同谱现象,应用传统的基于像元光谱分类的方法进行建筑物分类提取难以取得满意的效果。本文发展了一种从高分辨率Ikonos卫星影像上基于知识规则的面向对象分类提取城区建筑物方法,包括如下步骤：(1)融合1m全色和4m多光谱波段影像,生成1m分辨率的多光谱融合影像;（2）分割融合影像;（3）执行基于对象光谱的最近邻监督分类;（4）应用模糊逻辑分类器结合光谱、空间、纹理和上下文特征等知识规则进行建筑物分类。精度统计结果表明,本文提出的分类方法提取城区建筑物取得了93%的精度。     

Improving classification accuracy of spectrally similar land covers in the rangeland and plateau areas with a combination of WorldView-2 and UAV images

This study aims to increase the accuracy of the object based classification approach to differentiate the spectrally similar land cover types to create thematic maps depicting the current land use status in rangeland. Firstly, the multispectral and panchromatic bands of a WorldView-2 MS and Pan images are fused. The fused WV-2 image is then classified with object based approach using Support Vector Machines (SVMs) classifier (Method 1). The overall classification accuracy for Method 1 is found to be 88.6%. Secondly, UAV ortho-image is utilised for segmentation process, which is required for the object based SVM classification of the WV-2 MS image (Method 2). The overall classification accuracy for Method 2 is obtained as 92.4%. It is realised that the Method 2 increases the object based classification accuracy by 4%, compared to Method 1. This result reveals that the object based classification of the UAV and WV-2 MS images makes significant contribution to the classification accuracy.     

Spectral unmixing based spatiotemporal downscaling fusion approach

Time-series remote sensing data are important in monitoring land surface dynamics. Due to technical limitations, satellite sensors have a trade-off between temporal, spatial and spectral resolutions when acquiring remote sensing images. In order to obtain remote sensing images with high spatial resolution and high temporal frequency, spatiotemporal fusion methods have been developed. In this paper, we propose a Linear Spectral Unmixing-based Spatiotemporal Data Fusion Model (LSUSDFM) for spatial and temporal data fusion. In this model, the endmember abundance of the low-resolution image pixel is calculated based on that of the high-resolution image by the spectral mixture analysis. The endmember spectrum signals of low-resolution images are then calculated continuously within an optimized moving window. Subsequently, the fused image is reconstructed according to the endmember spectrum and its corresponding abundance map. A simulated dataset and real satellite images are used to test the fusion model, and the fusion results are compared with a current spectral unmixing based downscaling fusion model (SUDFM). Our experimental work shows that, compared to the SUDFM, the proposed LSUSDFM can achieve better quality and accuracy of fused images, especially in effectively eliminating the “plaque” phenomenon in the results by the SUDFM. The LSUSDFM has great potential in generating images with both high spatial resolution and high temporal frequency, as well as increasing the number of spectral bands of the high spatial resolution data.     

Mapping forest leaf area index using reflectance and textural information derived from WorldView-2 imagery in a mixed natural forest area in Florida,US

The leaf area index (LAI) of plant canopies is an important structural parameter that controls energy, water, and gas exchanges of plant ecosystems. Remote sensing techniques may offer an alternative for measuring and mapping forest LAI at a landscape scale. Given the characteristics of high spatial/spectral resolution of the WorldView-2 (WV2) sensor, it is of significance that the textural information extracted from WV2 multispectral (MS) bands will be first time used in estimating and mapping forest LAI. In this study, LAI mapping accuracies would be compared from (a) spatial resolutions between 2-m WV2 MS data and 30-m Landsat TM imagery, (b) the nature of variables between spectrum-based features and texture-based features, and (c) sensors between TM and WV2. Therefore spectral/textural features (SFs) were first selected and tested; then a canonical correlation analysis was performed with different data sets of SFs and LAI measurement; and finally linear regression models were used to predict and map forest LAI with canonical variables calculated from image data. The experimental results demonstrate that for estimating and mapping forest LAI, (i) using high resolution data (WV2) is better than using relatively low resolution data (TM); (ii) extracted from the same WV2 data, texture-based features have higher capability than that of spectrum-based features; (iii) a combination of spectrum-based features with texture-based features could lead to even higher accuracy of mapping forest LAI than their either one separately; and (iv) WV2 sensor outperforms TM sensor significantly. However, we need to address the possible overfitting phenomenon that might be brought in by using more input variables to develop models. In addition, the experimental results also indicate that the red-edge band in WV2 was the worst on estimating LAI among WV2 MS bands and the WV2 MS bands in the visible range had a much higher correlation with ground measured LAI than that red-edge and NIR bands did.     

联合统计信息与散射模型的GF-5 AHSI可见光影像薄云校正

针对高分五号可见短波红外高光谱相机AHSI (visible-shortwave infrared Advanced HyperSpectral Imager)可见光波段存在的薄云干扰,本文提出了一种联合统计信息与散射模型的校正方法。利用AHSI影像邻近波段间地表与云雾辐射的统计差异,实现对不同场景下相对薄云辐射RCR (Relative Cloud Radiance)的准确估计。基于此,根据不同波段的散射特性,分别利用分级暗目标统计和散射模型约束策略,获取可见光波段的绝对云辐射强度,最终实现影像校正。通过设置模拟与真实实验对方法的有效性和鲁棒性进行目视和定量检验。模拟实验中,可见光波段内的薄云干扰均可被有效地去除,校正结果与真实地表十分一致;此外,RMSE (RootMean-Square Error),MAE (Mean Absolute Error)和SA (Spectral Angle) 3个评价指标的值分别为1.9891,1.6822和0.4901,远小于对比方法。真实实验中,不同场景内的薄云可被有效抑制,在较为准确恢复降质地表信息的同时保持晴空区光谱特征;Q指数,SSIM (Structural Similarity Index)和UQI (Universal Quality Index)的计算结果优于对比方法。综上,本文提出方法可用于不同场景下高分五号AHSI影像可见光波段的薄云校正,可得到目视效果良好且光谱保真度高的校正结果。     

Selection of IRS-P6 LISS-4 MO mode band for producing band-sharpened multispectral imagery

The recently launched IRS-P6 satellite has a unique capability of acquiring simultaneously multispectral data at three different spatial resolutions from three independent optical sensors (LISS-4, LISS-3 and AWIFS). Of these, the LISS-4 sensor can be operated in two modes: (i) multispectral (MX) mode covering a swath of 23 km and (ii) monochromatic (MO) mode covering a 70-km swath, both at a spatial resolution of 5 m. One of the important uses of the LISS-4 MO data is in realizing a 5 m band-sharpened multispectral image by merging it with the low-resolution LISS-3 MS image. Operationally anyone of the three LISS-4 bands can be chosen for the MO mode data acquisition. The performance of each band for producing band-sharpened MS images is evaluated, and the choice of the band based on the spatial and spectral characteristics of the merged data is suggested. The LISS-4 Red-band is found to be optimal. It provides band-sharpened imagery with spatial and spectral qualities very similar to the LISS-4 MX data products.     

应用ERDAS进行高分辨率卫星PAN和MS影像融合的探讨

立足于一些高分辨率遥感影像在国土资源领域中的应用项目,结合ERDAS软件最新提供的一些融合方法和影像处理解决方案,就融合方法选择、融合质量控制和融合速度三方面,总结出应用ERDAS软件进行高分辨率遥感卫星全色和多光谱影像融合的一些有价值的生产实践经验。     

Near real-time high-resolution airborne camera,AEROCam, for precision agriculture

Precision agriculture often relies on high-resolution imagery to delineate the variability within a field. Airborne Environmental Research Observational Camera (AEROCam) was designed to meet the needs of agriculture producers, ranchers, and researchers, who require high-resolution imagery in a near real-time environment for rapid decision support. AEROCam was developed and operated through a unique collaboration between several departments at the University of North Dakota, including the Upper Midwest Aerospace Consortium (UMAC), the School of Engineering and Mines, and flight operations at the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences. AEROCam consists of a Redlake MS4100 area-scan multi-spectral digital camera that features a 1920 × 1080 CCD array (7.4-μm detector) with 8-bit quantization. When operated at ～2 km above ground level, multispectral images with four bands in the visible and near infrared have a ground sample distance of 1 m with a horizontal extent of just over 1.6 km. Depending on the applications, flying at different altitudes can adjust the spatial resolution from 0.25 to 2 m. Rigorous spectral and radiometric calibrations allow AEROCam to be used in a variety of applications, qualitative and quantitative. Equipped with an inertial measurement unit (IMU) system, the images acquired can be geo-referenced automatically and delivered to end users near real time through our Digital Northern Great Plains system (DNGP). The images are also available to zone mapping application for precision farming (ZoneMAP), an online decision support tool for creating management zones from remote sensing imagery and data from other sources. Operational since 2004, AEROCam has flown over 250 sorties and delivered over 150,000 images to the users in the Northern Great Plains region, resulting in numerous applications in precision agriculture and resource management.     

Improved Image Pansharpening Technique using Nonsubsampled Contourlet Transform with Sparse Representation

Multispectral (MS) and panchromatic (PAN) images contains complementary information. High spatial and spectral resolution is a prerequisite for images to be useful, which can be achieved through image pansharpening. In this paper, we propose a new pansharpening technique which is a combination of nonsubsampled contourlet transform (NSCT) and sparse representation (SR), called NSCT–SR. NSCT is a shift-invariant version of the contourlet transform which combines nonsubsampled pyramid (NSP) and the directional filter banks. NSP splits input MS and PAN images into low-pass and high-pass sub-bands. Fusion of high-pass sub-bands is done using local energy information while low-pass sub-bands are fused using SR. Finally, fused low-pass and high-pass sub-bands are combined to obtain image with high spatial and high spectral resolution. We have quantitatively compared NSCT–SR with other multiresolution algorithms by calculating spatial and spectral quality parameters. It is observed that spatial quality is improved by 0.93 % (for seaside image) and 1.54 % (for urban image). While spectral quality is improved maximum up to 31.39 and 40.47 %, for respective images. NSCT–SR also compared with other state-of-art algorithms by calculating various performance parameters including quality with no reference. It is found that, overall; NSCT–SR performs better compared to algorithms considered in work.     

Study of fractional vegetation cover using high spectral resolution data

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of vegetation cover on soil spectra and relationship of spectral indices with vegetation cover. Multi-date spectral measurements were carried out on twelve wheat fields. Five sets of measurements were taken during the growth period of wheat crop. Field reflectance data were collected in the range 350 to 1800 nm using ASD spectroradiometer. Analysis of data was done to select narrow spectral bands for estimation of ground cover. The ratio of reflectance from vegetation covered soil and reflectance from bare soil indicated that spectral reflectance at 670 and 710 nm are the most sensitive bands. Two bands in visible (670 and 560 nm), three bands in near infrared (710, 870 and 1100 nm) and three bands in middle infrared (1480, 1700 and 1800 nm) were found highly correlated with fractional cover. Vegetation indices developed using narrow band spectral data have been found to be better than those developed using broad- band data for estimation of ground cover.     

基于相位一致的高分辨率遥感图像分割方法

基于分水岭变换的图像分割性能在很大程度上依赖于用来计算待分割图像梯度的算法。根据频域相位信息对图像特征的表征能力,引入相位一致的思想计算图像特征,应用Log Gabor小波提取高分辨率遥感图像的多尺度梯度。接着在对相位一致梯度进行分水岭分割时发现,在抑制分水岭算法的过度分割方面,经典的基于前景标记和背景标记的方法并不适合于遥感图像的分割,给出一种基于前景标记和梯度重建的分水岭算法。对IKONOS Pan图像上的农田、厂房和居民楼等地物进行特征提取和图像分割实验,结果表明相位一致方法优于空域特征检测算子,根据相位一致特征得到较好的分水岭分割结果。