Infrared dim small target enhancement using toggle contrast operator

• Published in: Infrared physics & technology 2012-03, Vol.55 (2-3), p.177-182
• Main Authors: Bai, Xiangzhi, Zhou, Fugen, Xue, Bindang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Clutter; Construction; Image contrast; Infrared; Infrared small target enhancement; Mathematical morphology; Operators; Strategy; Toggle contrast operator; Tracking
• ISSN: 1350-4495; 1879-0275
• DOI: 10.1016/j.infrared.2011.12.002

► A new infrared dim small target enhancement algorithm based on toggle contrast operator is proposed. ► Operators are constructed by using toggle contrast operator to estimate clutter background. ► Infrared dim small target is well enhanced by subtracting the estimated clutter background. A new infrared dim small target enhancement algorithm based on toggle contrast operator is proposed. Toggle contrast operator is modified and used to construct operators using the image features derived from dilation and erosion operators. Then, based on the constructed operators, the operators which could be used to estimate the clutter background of the original infrared dim small target image are proposed using the same strategy as the definition of opening. Finally, the infrared dim small target is well enhanced through subtracting the estimated background from the original image. Experimental results on infrared images with different types of targets verified that the proposed method could effectively enhance infrared dim small target, which would be very useful for infrared dim small target detection and tracking.