Errors inherent in reconstruction of obscured targets for multilook imagery: I. Error analysis and simulation results

Mark S. Schmalz

doi:10.1117/12.323826

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18 September 1998 Errors inherent in reconstruction of obscured targets for multilook imagery: I. Error analysis and simulation results

Mark S. Schmalz

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Proceedings Volume 3371, Automatic Target Recognition VIII; (1998) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.323826
Event: Aerospace/Defense Sensing and Controls, 1998, Orlando, FL, United States

Abstract

The detection and recognition of targets obscured by natural or simulated arboreal cover can be facilitated by combining multiple images of the target taken from different viewpoints or look angles. This technique, called multi-look imaging (MLI), has three principal advantages: (1) obscured target features can be revealed in one or more of the views; (2) fusion of information about a given target feature contained in multiple views can yield apparent noise reduction and increased feature resolution; (3) background features can be reduced via correlation and subtraction, thereby decreasing the target-to-clutter ratio. In Part 1 of this series of two paper, we discussed background and theory that support airborne MLI of ground targets. In this paper, we continue theory development with an analysis of geometric projection error inherent in target reconstruction. The effect of projection error derived from focal-plane quantization error during back-projection of a given look or view in model-based target reconstruction is of particular interest, due to our current research emphasis upon ray-projection based reconstruction algorithms. Additional error sources discussed in this paper include uneven coverage of looks, which can yield space-variant uncertainty associated with reconstruction of target features having low information content in relation to other target or background features. Simulation results are based on a calibrated model of airborne MLI, and are analyzed in terms of computational cost and accuracy of target reconstruction achievable via stereophotogrammetric methods.

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Mark S. Schmalz "Errors inherent in reconstruction of obscured targets for multilook imagery: I. Error analysis and simulation results", Proc. SPIE 3371, Automatic Target Recognition VIII, (18 September 1998); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.323826

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