A Mosaic Method for Side-Scan Sonar Strip Images Based on Curvelet Transform and Resolution Constraints

Area of Science:

• Marine geophysics
• Sonar imaging
• Image processing

Background:

• Side-scan sonar images suffer from non-rigid distortions due to the complex marine environment.
• Resolution differences in common areas complicate strip image mosaicking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel mosaic method for side-scan sonar strip images.
• To reduce the influence of resolution differences on strip image mosaicking.
• To enhance the performance of side-scan sonar image mosaicking.

Main Methods:

• Image registration to correct dislocation and distortion.
• Calculation of resolution vectors and creation of a resolution model for common areas.
• Application of curvelet transform with specific fusion rules for different coefficient layers.
• Inverse curvelet transform to generate fused images.

Main Results:

• The proposed method effectively registers and fuses side-scan sonar strip images.
• Resolution constraints are successfully integrated into the mosaicking process.
• Experimental results demonstrate superior mosaicking performance compared to conventional algorithms.

Conclusions:

• The curvelet transform-based mosaicking method with resolution constraints significantly improves the quality of side-scan sonar image mosaics.
• This approach effectively handles non-rigid distortions and resolution variations.
• The method offers a valuable advancement for marine surveying and mapping applications.