Assessment of the Method-inherent Distortions in Wavelet Fusion

ABSTRACT: This paper investigates how different aspects of the wavelet transform, such as the selection of a particular wavelet filter and choosing between the decimated and undecimated version of the decomposition scheme, affect the overall performance of satellite image fusion. Using data, which were acquired in the visible and near infrared wavelength spectrum, experiments were carried out, in which the performances with respect to the different standard wavelets, fusion rules and sub-pixel misalignments were compared. It has been shown that choosing an inappropriate wavelet or decomposition scheme can significantly decrease the quality of the resulting fused product. Based on the conducted experiments, recommendations on choosing a particular wavelet transform to produce satisfactory fusion results are given.