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Removing Shadows Using RGB Color Space in Pairs of Optical Satellite Images

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Abstract

One of the greatest challenges for optical satellite images applications is the presence of shadows. In stereo correspondence of images for example, shadows obstruct the correct extraction of objects that degrades the quality of stereo matching results. The aim of this research is to present a new, simple and efficient shadow detection and removal approach. The proposed approach first detects shadows by operating directly in red, green and blue color space using a new method including spectral and spatial properties of shadow. Secondly, shadows are removed by supplying more light to the shadow’s region using an energy minimization concept. The edges of shadows are removed or attenuated using some filters. The experimental results show that the proposed shadow detection and removal approach can generate accurate and efficient recovered pairs of satellite images. Furthermore, we demonstrate its reliability on the application of a Hopfield neural matching by comparing the correspondence of images before and after shadow removal.

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Acknowledgments

We greatly appreciate the constructive suggestions of the editors and anonymous reviewers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Research in Applied ICT (LARATIC), National Institute of Telecommunications and Information Technologies and Communications of Oran (INTTIC), B.P 1518, el Mnaouer, Route de sénia, 31000, Oran, Algeria

    E. Zigh & B. Kouninef

  2. University Mustapha Stambouli, Mascara, Algeria

    M. Kadiri

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  1. E. Zigh
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  2. B. Kouninef
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  3. M. Kadiri
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Correspondence to E. Zigh.

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Zigh, E., Kouninef, B. & Kadiri, M. Removing Shadows Using RGB Color Space in Pairs of Optical Satellite Images. J Indian Soc Remote Sens 45, 431–441 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12524-016-0598-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12524-016-0598-x

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