USGS MIPS Hazesun Documentation

USGS MIPS Hazesun Documentation

This program applies corrections to an image removing haze caused by sun elevation angle and atmospheric scattering. The equation used is:

         Input - Haze
Output = ------------
          SIN(angle)

Files

This program requires as input an unsigned 8-bit image file and will generates an unsigned 8-bit image file. The following information is transferred from the input file to the output file(if appropriate):

Image labels
Mosaic labels
Projection labels
History file

Parameters

ANGLE: This is the sun elevation angle during which the image was collected. The angle can range from 0 to 180 degrees where 0 and 180 are at the horizon and 90 is when the sun is at its zenith. An angle of 90 degrees is the default and does not apply a sun angle correction to the image.
HAZE: This is an offset used to remove the effect of atmospheric scattering due to haze. This value can be obtained using the dark object subtraction technique and with the aid of the programs VISTA or LIST. That is, find an object in the image which should have a DN of 0(e.g., deep clear water, shadows in canyons, etc.) and use it as the value for Haze. The default Haze value is 0.

Uses

It is critical that haze corrections be made to images prior to applying enhancements or analysis using ratios because they suppress topography information. However, the topography will not be suppressed if the haze corrections have not been applied. Another use of this program is for creating digital mosaics of adjacent satellite data taken at two or more different dates. Since the sun angle and haze values for each image are likely to be different, this program can correct for them and give better tone matches between the adjacent pieces.

Examples

From left to right, Landsat MSS Band 6 images with haze and haze removed.

[Example Image]