Intrinsic Scale Space for Images on Surfaces: The Geodesic Curvature Flow

Abstract

A scale space for images painted on surfaces is introduced. Based on the geodesic curvature flow of the iso-gray level contours of an image painted on the given surface, the image is evolved and forms the natural geometric scale space. Its geometrical properties are discussed as well as the intrinsic nature of the proposed flow. I.e. the flow is invariant to the bending of the surface.