Enhancement Algorithm for Sandstorm Images

In order to reduce the impact of the increasingly frequent sandstorm weather on computer vision-related applications, we propose an enhancement algorithm for sandstorm images. First, we achieve white balance through the Shades of Gray (SoG) algorithm optimized by blue channel compensation. Then, we convert the corrected image into Lab color space. Next, using Contrast Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization (CLAHE) to enhance the brightness part (L component) to improve the contrast of the sandstorm images. Finally, the L component is further Laplace sharpened to enhance the details. The experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively restore the fade characteristics of sandstorm-degraded images and improve the clarity of the images. In addition, our experiments also prove that our algorithm can significantly improve the feature point extraction results of images captured during sandstorm weather conditions to ameliorate computer vision applications during sandstorm weather.