Change detection thresholds for remotely sensed images

 The detection of change in remotely sensed images is often carried out by designating a threshold to distinguish between areas of change and areas of no change. The choice of threshold is often arbitrary however. The purpose of this paper is to offer a statistical framework for the selection of thresholds. The framework accounts for the facts that one carries out multiple tests of the null hypothesis of no change, when searching for regions of change over an image with a large number of pixels. Special attention is given to global spatial autocorrelation, which can affect the selection of appropriate threshold values. Received: 8 March 2001 / Accepted: 12 October 2001     

Change detection of linear features in temporally spaced remotely sensed images using edge-based grid analysis

Automatic change detection of land cover features using high-resolution satellite images, is a challenging problem in the field of intelligent remote sensing data interpretation, and is becoming more and more effective for its applications viz. urban planning and monitoring, disaster assessment etc. In the present study, a change in detection approach based on the image morphology that analyses change in the local image grids is proposed. In this approach, edges from both the images are extracted and grid wise comparison is made by probabilistic thresholding and power spectral density analysis for identifying change area. One of the advantages of the proposed methodology is that the temporal images used in the change analysis need not be radiometrically corrected as analysis is based on edge extractions. The grid-based analysis further reduces the error, which might have been introduced by image mis-registration. The proposed methodology is validated by finding the temporal changes in the linear land cover features in parts of Kolkata city, India using three different image data-sets from LISS IV, Cartosat-1 and Google earth having varied spatial resolutions of 5.8 m, 2.5 m and about 1 m, respectively. The overall accuracy in identifying changes is found to be 64.82, 73.86 and 80.93% for LISS IV, Cartosat-1 and Google earth data-set, respectively.     

Assessment of the image misregistration effects on object-based change detection

High-spatial resolution remote sensing imagery provides unique opportunities for detailed characterization and monitoring of landscape dynamics. To better handle such data sets, change detection using the object-based paradigm, i.e., object-based change detection (OBCD), have demonstrated improved performances over the classic pixel-based paradigm. However, image registration remains a critical pre-process, with new challenges arising, because objects in OBCD are of various sizes and shapes. In this study, we quantified the effects of misregistration on OBCD using high-spatial resolution SPOT 5 imagery (5 m) for three types of landscapes dominated by urban, suburban and rural features, representing diverse geographic objects. The experiments were conducted in four steps: (i) Images were purposely shifted to simulate the misregistration effect. (ii) Image differencing change detection was employed to generate difference images with all the image-objects projected to a feature space consisting of both spectral and texture variables. (iii) The changes were extracted using the Mahalanobis distance and a change ratio. (iv) The results were compared to the ‘real’ changes from the image pairs that contained no purposely introduced registration error. A pixel-based change detection method using similar steps was also developed for comparisons. Results indicate that misregistration had a relatively low impact on object size and shape for most areas. When the landscape is comprised of small mean object sizes (e.g., in urban and suburban areas), the mean size of ‘change’ objects was smaller than the mean of all objects and their size discrepancy became larger with the decrease in object size. Compared to the results using the pixel-based paradigm, OBCD was less sensitive to the misregistration effect, and the sensitivity further decreased with an increase in local mean object size. However, high-spatial resolution images typically have higher spectral variability within neighboring pixels than the relatively low resolution datasets. As a result, accurate image registration remains crucial to change detection even if an object-based approach is used.     

Bayesian and geostatistical approaches to combining categorical data derived from visual and digital processing of remotely sensed images

This paper seeks a synthesis of Bayesian and geostatistical approaches to combining categorical data in the context of remote sensing classification. By experiment with aerial photographs and Landsat TM data, accuracy of spectral, spatial, and combined classification results was evaluated. It was confirmed that the incorporation of spatial information in spectral classification increases accuracy significantly. Secondly, through test with a 5-class and a 3-class classification schemes, it was revealed that setting a proper semantic framework for classification is fundamental to any endeavors of categorical mapping and the most important factor affecting accuracy. Lastly, this paper promotes non-parametric methods for both definition of class membership profiling based on band-specific histograms of image intensities and derivation of spatial probability via indicator kriging, a non-parametric geostatistical technique.     

Bayesian and Geostatistical Approaches to Combining Categorical Data Derived from Visual and Digital Processing of Remotely Sensed Images

This paper seeks a synthesis of Bayesian and geostatistical approaches to combining categorical data in the context of remote sensing classification. By experiment with aerial photographs and Landsat TM data, accuracy of spectral, spatial, and combined classification results was evaluated. It was confirmed that the incorporation of spatial information in spectral classification increases accuracy significantly. Secondly, through test with a 5-class and a 3-class classification schemes, it was revealed that setting a proper semantic framework for classification is fundamental to any endeavors of categorical mapping and the most important factor affecting accuracy. Lastly, this paper promotes non-parametric methods for both definition of class membership profiling based on band-specific histograms of image intensities and derivation of spatial probability via indicator kriging, a non-parametric geostatistical technique.     

A combined spectral and object-based approach to transparent cloud removal in an operational setting for Landsat ETM+

The automated cloud cover assessment (ACCA) algorithm has provided automated estimates of cloud cover for the Landsat ETM+ mission since 2001. However, due to the lack of a band around 1.375 μm, cloud edges and transparent clouds such as cirrus cannot be detected. Use of Landsat ETM+ imagery for terrestrial land analysis is further hampered by the relatively long revisit period due to a nadir only viewing sensor. In this study, the ACCA threshold parameters were altered to minimise omission errors in the cloud masks. Object-based analysis was used to reduce the commission errors from the extended cloud filters. The method resulted in the removal of optically thin cirrus cloud and cloud edges which are often missed by other methods in sub-tropical areas. Although not fully automated, the principles of the method developed here provide an opportunity for using otherwise sub-optimal or completely unusable Landsat ETM+ imagery for operational applications. Where specific images are required for particular research goals the method can be used to remove cloud and transparent cloud helping to reduce bias in subsequent land cover classifications.     

A multi-level context-guided classification method with object-based convolutional neural network for land cover classification using very high resolution remote sensing images

Classification of very high resolution imagery (VHRI) is challenging due to the difficulty in mining complex spatial and spectral patterns from rich image details. Various object-based Convolutional Neural Networks (OCNN) for VHRI classification have been proposed to overcome the drawbacks of the redundant pixel-wise CNNs, owing to their low computational cost and fine contour-preserving. However, classification performance of OCNN is still limited by geometric distortions, insufficient feature representation, and lack of contextual guidance. In this paper, an innovative multi-level context-guided classification method with the OCNN (MLCG-OCNN) is proposed. A feature-fusing OCNN, including the object contour-preserving mask strategy with the supplement of object deformation coefficient, is developed for accurate object discrimination by learning simultaneously high-level features from independent spectral patterns, geometric characteristics, and object-level contextual information. Then pixel-level contextual guidance is used to further improve the per-object classification results. The MLCG-OCNN method is intentionally tested on two validated small image datasets with limited training samples, to assess the performance in applications of land cover classification where a trade-off between time-consumption of sample training and overall accuracy needs to be found, as it is very common in the practice. Compared with traditional benchmark methods including the patch-based per-pixel CNN (PBPP), the patch-based per-object CNN (PBPO), the pixel-wise CNN with object segmentation refinement (PO), semantic segmentation U-Net (U-NET), and DeepLabV3+(DLV3+), MLCG-OCNN method achieves remarkable classification performance (> 80 %). Compared with the state-of-the-art architecture DeepLabV3+, the MLCG-OCNN method demonstrates high computational efficiency for VHRI classification (4–5 times faster).     

Thematic mapping from remotely sensed data with neural networks: MLP, RBF and PNN based approaches

 Neural networks are attractive tools for the derivation of thematic maps from remotely sensed data. Most attention has focused on the multilayer perceptron (MLP) network but other network types are available and have different properties that may sometimes be more appropriate for some applications. Here a MLP, radial basis function (RBF) and probabilistic neural network (PNN) were used to classify remotely sensed data of an agricultural site. The accuracy of these classifications ranged from 86.25–91.25%. The accuracy of the PNN classification could be increased through the incorporation of prior probabilities of class membership but the accuracy of each classification could also be degraded by the presence of an untrained class. Post-classification analyses, however, could be used to identify potentially misclassified cases, including those belonging to an untrained class, to increase accuracy. The effect of the post-classification analysis on the accuracy of the classification derived from each of the three network types investigated differed and it is suggested that network type be selected carefully to meet the requirements of the application in-hand. Received: 23 March 2000 / Accepted: 9 July 2000     

决策级融合的多分辨率遥感影像变化检测

针对多时相、多分辨率遥感影像数据的特点,充分考虑不同分辨率数据和不同变化检测应用的需求,将由粗到精数据集分层检测和决策级融合的思想引入到变化检测,以多时相多分辨率ALOS遥感影像为例,构建并试验了由粗到精变化检测的技术流程.该方法将ALOS多光谱数据视为粗数据集,将全色数据和融合数据视为精数据集,通过对3种数据集变化检...     

遥感时间序列影像变化检测研究进展

同一区域、不同时期大量历史数据的积累,以及同一区域能够方便地获取高时间分辨率遥感数据,使遥感时间序列影像变化检测成为近年来遥感技术与应用的研究热点。本文系统总结和评述了当前遥感时间序列影像变化检测的相关研究进展和应用状况,在阐明遥感时间序列分析的意义,以及时间序列影像在变化检测中的优势的基础上,从非遥感领域时间序列变化检测方法出发,针对遥感时间序列影像变化检测的需求,明确和归纳了遥感时间序列变化检测的问题与类型,并对当前最新研究进行了综述,总结了各种方法的优点与不足,重点介绍了基于经验模态分解的遥感时间序列影像异常信息检测方法和基于隐马尔可夫模型的土地利用/覆盖变化检测方法,以期能够为相关研究提供参考。最后总结了该研究领域的发展趋势和存在问题,并对今后的研究工作和未来发展方向进行了展望。     

Fuzzy mapping of tropical land cover along an environmental gradient from remotely sensed data with an artificial neural network

Remote sensing is the only feasible means of mapping and monitoring land cover at regional to global scales. Unfortunately the maps are generally derived through the use of a conventional 'hard' classification algorithm and depict classes separated by sharp boundaries. Such approaches and representations are often inappropriate particularly when the land cover being represented may be considered to be fuzzy. The definition of boundaries between classes can therefore be difficult from remotely sensed data, particularly for continuous land cover classes which are separated by a fuzzy boundary which may also vary spatially in time. In this paper a neural network was used to derive fuzzy classifications of land cover along a transect crossing the transition from moist semi-deciduous forest to savanna in West Africa in February and December 1990. The fuzzy classifications revealed both sharp and gradual boundaries between classes located along the transect. In particular, the fuzzy classifications enabled the definition of important boundary properties, such as width and temporal displacement.     

Change detection in urban areas by object-based analysis and on-the-fly comparison of multi-view ALS data

The use of helicopters as a sensor platform offers flexible fields of application due to adaptable flying speed at low flight levels. Modern helicopters are equipped with radar altimeters, inertial navigation systems (INS), forward-looking cameras and even laser scanners for automatic obstacle avoidance. If the 3D geometry of the terrain is already available, the analysis of airborne laser scanner (ALS) measurements may also be used for terrain-referenced navigation and change detection. In this paper, we present a framework for on-the-fly comparison of current ALS data to given reference data of an urban area. In contrast to classical difference methods, our approach extends the concept of occupancy grids known from robot mapping. However, it does not blur the measured information onto the grid cells. The proposed change detection method applies the Dempster–Shafer theory to identify conflicting evidence along the laser pulse propagation path. Additional attributes are considered to decide whether detected changes are of man-made origin or occurring due to seasonal effects. The concept of online change detection has been successfully validated in offline experiments with recorded ALS data streams. Results are shown for an urban test site at which multi-view ALS data were acquired at an interval of 1 year.     

Hierarchical extraction of landslides from multiresolution remotely sensed optical images

The automated detection and mapping of landslides from Very High Resolution (VHR) images present several challenges related to the heterogeneity of landslide sizes, shapes and soil surface characteristics. However, a common geomorphological characteristic of landslides is to be organized with a series of embedded and scaled features. These properties motivated the use of a multiresolution image analysis approach for their detection. In this work, we propose a hybrid segmentation/classification region-based method, devoted to this specific issue. The method, which uses images of the same area at various spatial resolutions (Medium to Very High Resolution), relies on a recently introduced top-down hierarchical framework. In the specific context of landslide analysis, two main novelties are introduced to enrich this framework. The first novelty consists of using non-spectral information, obtained from Digital Terrain Model (DTM), as a priori knowledge for the guidance of the segmentation/classification process. The second novelty consists of using a new domain adaptation strategy, that allows to reduce the expert’s interaction when handling large image datasets. Experiments performed on satellite images acquired over terrains affected by landslides demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method with different hierarchical levels of detail addressing various operational needs.     

Chronology and backtracking of oil slick trajectory to source in offshore environments using ultraspectral to multispectral remotely sensed data

Offshore natural seepage confirms the occurrence of an active petroleum system with thermal maturation and migration, regardless its economic viability for petroleum production. Ocean dynamics, however, impose a challenge for correlation between oil seeps detected on the water surface and its source at the ocean floor. This hinders the potential use of seeps in petroleum exploration. The present study aims to estimate oil exposure time on the water surface via remote sensing in order to help locating ocean floor seepage sources. Spectral reflectance properties of a variety of fresh crude oils, oil films on water and oil–water emulsions were determined. Their spectral identity was used to estimate the duration of exposure of oil–water emulsions based on their temporal spectral responses. Laboratory models efficiently predicted oil status using ultraspectral (>2000 bands), hyperspectral (>300 bands), and multispectral (<10 bands) sensors covering near infrared and shortwave infrared wavelengths. An oil seepage recorded by the ASTER sensor on the Brazilian coast was used to test the designed predictive model. Results indicate that the model can successfully forecast the timeframe of crude oil exposure in the ocean (i.e., the relative “age” of the seepage). The limited spectral resolution of the ASTER sensor, though, implies less accurate estimates compared to higher resolution sensors. The spectral libraries and the method proposed here can be reproduced for other oceanic areas in order to approximate the duration of exposure of noticeable natural oil seepages. This type of information is optimal for seepage tracing and, therefore, for oceanic petroleum exploration and environmental monitoring.     

多特征证据融合的遥感图像变化检测

提出了一种以证据理论综合利用图像多种特征的变化检测方法。方法利用滑动窗口计算两时相图像3种特征的结构相似度, 以之构建D-S证据理论的基本概率赋值函数并进行证据合成, 通过规则判定得到图像变化区域。通过对不同试验区、不同证据组合方式以及方法间的比较实验表明, 相对单一特征检测方法有效地提高了检测的精度。此外, 由于采用统计而非原始图像特征度量特征相似性, 方法具有对辐射、几何配准精度要求较低等优点。     

Temporal analysis of remotely sensed turbidity in a coastal archipelago

A topographically fragmental archipelago with dynamic waters set the preconditions for assessing coherent remotely sensed information. We generated a turbidity dataset for an archipelago coast in the Baltic Sea from MERIS data (FSG L1b), using CoastColour L1P, L2R and L2W processors. We excluded land and mixed pixels by masking the imagery with accurate (1:10 000) shoreline data. Using temporal linear averaging (TLA), we produced satellite-imagery datasets applicable to temporal composites for the summer seasons of three years. The turbidity assessments and temporally averaged data were compared to in situ observations obtained with coastal monitoring programs. The ability of TLA to estimate missing pixel values was further assessed by cross-validation with the leave-one-out method. The correspondence between L2W turbidity and in situ observations was good (r = 0.89), and even after applying TLA the correspondence remained acceptable (r = 0.78). The datasets revealed spatially divergent temporal water characteristics, which may be relevant to the management, design of monitoring and habitat models. Monitoring observations may be spatially biased if the temporal succession of water properties is not taken into account in coastal areas with anisotropic dispersion of waters and asynchronous annual cycles. Accordingly, areas of varying turbidity may offer a different habitat for aquatic biota than areas of static turbidity, even though they may appear similar if water properties are measured for short annual periods.     

Impact of discretization methods on the rough set-based classification of remotely sensed images

Abstract

In recent years, the rough set (RS) method has been in common use for remote-sensing classification, which provides one of the techniques of information extraction for Digital Earth. The discretization of remotely sensed data is an important data preprocessing approach in classical RS-based remote-sensing classification. Appropriate discretization methods can improve the adaptability of the classification rules and increase the accuracy of the remote-sensing classification. To assess the performance of discretization methods this article adopts three indicators, which are the compression capability indicator (CCI), consistency indicator (CI), and number of the cut points (NCP). An appropriate discretization method for the RS-based classification of a given remotely sensed image can be found by comparing the values of the three indicators and the classification accuracies of the discretized remotely sensed images obtained with the different discretization methods. To investigate the effectiveness of our method, this article applies three discretization methods of the Entropy/MDL, Naive, and SemiNaive to a TM image and three indicators for these discretization methods are then calculated. After comparing the three indicators and the classification accuracies of the discretized remotely sensed images, it has been found that the SemiNaive method significantly reduces large quantities of data and also keeps satisfactory classification accuracy.     

复杂环境下高分二号遥感影像的城市地表水体提取

水体指数可以抑制背景噪声和提高地表水体的可分性,已经广泛用于地表水体提取。传统FCM聚类算法考虑了地物的不确定性,但没有顾及地物的邻域空间信息,对背景异质性比较敏感。针对传统FCM聚类算法的不足,提出一种可变邻域的区域FCM聚类算法。由于复杂环境下高分二号(GF-2)遥感影像的城市地表水体具有复杂异质背景和不确定性的特点,本文利用水体指数和区域FCM聚类算法的优点,提出一种整合水体指数和区域FCM的城市地表水体自动提取算法,该算法主要步骤包括:(1)去除影像阴影后计算归一化差分水体指数NDWI(Normalized Difference Water Index);(2)区域FCM聚类算法;(3)整合水体指数和区域FCM聚类的城市地表水体自动提取算法。最后采用两景GF-2高分辨率遥感影像(广州和武汉)进行实验,验证了该算法的有效性,并与经典地表水体提取算法进行对比分析。实验结果表明:该算法具有较高的水体提取精度,城市地表水体边界既具有较好的区域完整性又保持了局部细节,同时对城市地表水体复杂背景噪声具有较好的抑制作用,有效减少传统FCM聚类算法的"胡椒盐"现象。     

A review on remotely sensed land surface temperature anomaly as an earthquake precursor

The low predictability of earthquakes and the high uncertainty associated with their forecasts make earthquakes one of the worst natural calamities, capable of causing instant loss of life and property. Here, we discuss the studies reporting the observed anomalies in the satellite-derived Land Surface Temperature (LST) before an earthquake. We compile the conclusions of these studies and evaluate the use of remotely sensed LST anomalies as precursors of earthquakes. The arrival times and the amplitudes of the anomalies vary widely, thus making it difficult to consider them as universal markers to issue earthquake warnings. Based on the randomness in the observations of these precursors, we support employing a global-scale monitoring system to detect statistically robust anomalous geophysical signals prior to earthquakes before considering them as definite precursors.