A Proposed Methodology for the Fusion of Microwave and Optical Remote Sensing Data

Abstract

The merging of images obtained by satellites through remote sensing has evolved into an established protocol. In popular parlance such blending is known as image fusion. This is done chiefly because it gives myriad advantages. Image fusion comes in extremely useful in the observation, study and analysis of diverse fields, including environment, agriculture and other related areas. In essence, what happens in image fusion is that the needed data or information is gleaned from numerous images. These images then are coalesced to form fewer pictures. The ideal, of course, is the blending of them into a lone picture. This is highly sought-after because the image thus intermingled is said to contain all relevant data and, moreover, is more suitable and error-free than an image secured from one single source. Needless to say, it also incorporates all the information that is needed. Besides this, there are other benefits. For one, it curtails the volume of data. For another, it produces images that are pertinent and apt. This paper’s chief objective is to proffer a suggested methodology on the fusion between the capabilities of optical and microwave satellite images and to improve the visible quality of Landsat image.