Resolution enhancement of multilook imagery for the multispectral thermal imager

This paper studies the feasibility of enhancing the spatial resolution of multilook Multispectral Thermal Imager (MTI) imagery using an iterative resolution enhancement algorithm known as Projection Onto Convex Sets (POCS). A multiangle satellite image modeling tool is implemented, and simulated multilook MTI imagery is formed to test the resolution enhancement algorithm. Experiments are done to determine the optimal configuration and number of multiangle low-resolution images needed for a quantitative improvement in the spatial resolution of the high-resolution estimate. The issues of atmospheric path radiance and directional reflectance variations are explored to determine their effect on the resolution enhancement performance.

I. Introduction

The need for higher spatial resolution in remote sensing has led to dramatic improvements in imaging technology over the last three decades. New commercial satellites such as IKONOS [1] and Quickbird [2] have ground resolution finer than 1 m. Many customers of remote sensing imagery demand the highest spatial-resolution images that are available. Urban planning, military planning, intelligence, and disaster monitoring/evaluation are several tasks in which very high spatial resolution is needed. The objects of interest for these tasks are often small compared to the ground resolution of satellite-based sensors.