Performance Improvement of Different Hazy Scenes Based on Prior and Deep Learning Techniques

Abstract

Climate change is a major factor in the occurrence of extreme weather conditions and air pollution which in turn can affect the visibility of the atmosphere. Dehazing is the process to improve the clarity of an input image by reducing the effect of haze. The goal of dehazing is to improve visibility by removing the effect of haze. The challenges of dehazing are twofold. First, the amount of air pollution present at a particular location must be determined, since it can vary greatly depending on the climate. Second, the type of air pollution at a particular location must be identified, as different types of air pollution can result in different levels of visibility. In dehazing, the first step includes identifying the type of air pollution present in an input scene. This can be done by examining the spectral characteristics of the image, such as the amount of light that is absorbed and scattered by the air particles. Different types of air pollution will produce different spectral signatures, which can be used to identify the type of air pollution present in the input scene. Once the type of air pollution is identified, the next step is to determine the amount of air pollution present in the scene. This can be done by using a measurement called the visibility factor. The visibility factor is the measure of the amount of light that is scattered by the air particles, and comparing the intensity of the light calculates the visibility factor before and after it passes through the air. The higher the visibility factor, the more light is scattered by the air particles, and the lower the visibility factor, the less light is scattered. The first atmospheric scattering model state that haze is a weather phenomenon that causes a decrease in visibility due to the presence of fine particles that are suspended in the atmosphere. It is formed when pollutants, such as dust, smoke, and chemicals, mix with moisture in the air. Haze can decrease visibility to the point that it becomes difficult to see more than a few meters ahead.