Image Fusion Technique for Remote Sensing Image Enhancement

Abstract

Remote sensing image enhancement algorithm based on image fusion is presented in this paper, in-order to resolve problems of poor contrast and sharpness in degraded images. The proposed method consists of two essentials: the first, the techniques of image sharpening, dynamic histogram equalization and fuzzy enhancement technique were respectively applied to the same degraded image. Second, these obtained three images, which individually preserved the enhancement effect of either of these techniques, are fused into a single image via different fusion rules. This method enhances the contrast well in the remote sensing image without introducing severe side effects, such as washed out appearance, checkerboard effects etc., or undesirable artifacts. The experiment results indicate that the proposed algorithm integrates the merits of dynamic histogram equalization, fuzzy enhancement and sharpening effectively and achieves a considerable efficiency in the enhancement of degraded images exhibiting both blurred details and low contrast. The qualitative and quantitative performances of the proposed method are compared with other methods producing better quality enhanced image. © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014.