An Uncertainty Descriptor for Quantitative Measurement of the Uncertainty of Remote Sensing Images

Abstract

Reliable image classification results are crucial for the application of remote sensing images, but the reliability of image classification has received less attention. In particular, the inherent uncertainty of remote sensing images has been disregarded. The uncertainty of a remote sensing image accumulates and propagates continuously in the classification process and ultimately affects the reliability of the classification results. Therefore, quantitative description and investigation of the inherent uncertainty of remote sensing images are crucial in achieving reliable remote sensing image classification. In this study, we analyze the sources of uncertainty of remote sensing images in detail and propose a quantitative descriptor for measuring image uncertainty comprehensively and effectively. In addition, we also design two verification schemes to verify the validity of the proposed uncertainty descriptor. Finally, the validity of the proposed uncertainty descriptor is confirmed by experimental results on three real remote sensing images. Our study on the uncertainty of remote sensing images may help the development of uncertainty control methods and reliable classification schemes of remote sensing images.