Water penetration photogrammetry. Volume 1: Feasibility and evaluation study

This report addresses the problem of near-shore bathymetry via automated digital processing of archived/future color aerial photography, examines both the photometric and environmental restrictions, and proposes new areas of research/algorithm development which, when integrated with existing digital techniques, could lead to the development of a system for processing the DMA archived and future color aerial photography. The advanced development effort being carried out by the NORDA Pattern Analysis Branch under this Water Penetration Photogrammetry (WPP) Subtask is planned to investigate the following areas: (1) Geometric (match point) techniques for stereo-bathymetry, e.g., correlation; (2) Density techniques to supplement the above stereo/geometric algorithms; (3) Automated identification and removal (where possible) of environmental artifacts and constraints in the imagery; (4) Use of image enhancement as an aid to the above items and for generating digitally improved photographs for conventional stereo compilations.