Fusing Ikonos images by a four-band wavelet transformation method

This paper presents a wavelet transformation-based method for fusing high-resolution satellite images. First, a multi-band wavelet fusion method, specifically the four-band wavelet method, is proposed for fusing one-meter panchromatic and four-meter multi-spectral Ikonos images. Second, the fusion experiments are undertaken by using the proposed four-band wavelet method. The results are compared with fused images from other methods, such as two-band wavelet and IHS methods. The results are evaluated based on both visual evaluation and a quantitative analysis, by using several assessing parameters and a new evaluation method: the profile intensity curve. Third, as an application of the fused images, they are applied for recognition and identification of features in urban area. The quantitative analysis demonstrates that four-band wavelet transformation method provides improved fused images.