Hyperspectral unmixing accounting for spatial correlations and endmember variability

International audienceThis paper presents an unsupervised Bayesian algorithm for hyperspectral image unmixing accounting for endmember variability. This variability is obtained by assuming that each pixel is a linear combination of random endmembers weighted by their corresponding abundances. An additive noise is also considered in the proposed model generalizing the normal compositional model. The proposed model is unsupervised since it estimates the abundances and both the mean and the covariance matrix of each endmember. A classification map indicating the class of each pixel is also obtained based on the estimated abundances. Simulations conducted on a real dataset show the potential of the proposed model in terms of unmixing performance for the analysis of hyperspectral images

Dynamical Hyperspectral Unmixing with Variational Recurrent Neural Networks

Multitemporal hyperspectral unmixing (MTHU) is a fundamental tool in the analysis of hyperspectral image sequences. It reveals the dynamical evolution of the materials (endmembers) and of their proportions (abundances) in a given scene. However, adequately accounting for the spatial and temporal variability of the endmembers in MTHU is challenging, and has not been fully addressed so far in unsupervised frameworks. In this work, we propose an unsupervised MTHU algorithm based on variational recurrent neural networks. First, a stochastic model is proposed to represent both the dynamical evolution of the endmembers and their abundances, as well as the mixing process. Moreover, a new model based on a low-dimensional parametrization is used to represent spatial and temporal endmember variability, significantly reducing the amount of variables to be estimated. We propose to formulate MTHU as a Bayesian inference problem. However, the solution to this problem does not have an analytical solution due to the nonlinearity and non-Gaussianity of the model. Thus, we propose a solution based on deep variational inference, in which the posterior distribution of the estimated abundances and endmembers is represented by using a combination of recurrent neural networks and a physically motivated model. The parameters of the model are learned using stochastic backpropagation. Experimental results show that the proposed method outperforms state of the art MTHU algorithms

Assessing the potential of remotely-sensed drone spectroscopy to determine live coral cover on Heron Reef

Coral reefs, as biologically diverse ecosystems, hold significant ecological and economic value. With increased threats imposed on them, it is increasingly important to monitor reef health by developing accessible methods to quantify coral cover. Discriminating between substrate types has previously been achieved with in situ spectroscopy but has not been tested using drones. In this study, we test the ability of using point-based drone spectroscopy to determine substrate cover through spectral unmixing on a portion of Heron Reef, Australia. A spectral mixture analysis was conducted to separate the components contributing to spectral signatures obtained across the reef. The pure spectra used to unmix measured data include live coral, algae, sand, and rock, obtained from a public spectral library. These were able to account for over 82% of the spectral mixing captured in each spectroscopy measurement, highlighting the benefits of using a public database. The unmixing results were then compared to a categorical classification on an overlapping mosaicked drone image but yielded inconclusive results due to challenges in co-registration. This study uniquely showcases the potential of using commercial-grade drones and point spectroscopy in mapping complex environments. This can pave the way for future research, by increasing access to repeatable, effective, and affordable technology

Manifold learning based spectral unmixing of hyperspectral remote sensing data

Nonlinear mixing effects inherent in hyperspectral data are not properly represented in linear spectral unmixing models. Although direct nonlinear unmixing models provide capability to capture nonlinear phenomena, they are difficult to formulate and the results are not always generalizable. Manifold learning based spectral unmixing accommodates nonlinearity in the data in the feature extraction stage followed by linear mixing, thereby incorporating some characteristics of nonlinearity while retaining advantages of linear unmixing approaches. Since endmember selection is critical to successful spectral unmixing, it is important to select proper endmembers from the manifold space. However, excessive computational burden hinders development of manifolds for large-scale remote sensing datasets. This dissertation addresses issues related to high computational overhead requirements of manifold learning for developing representative manifolds for the spectral unmixing task. Manifold approximations using landmarks are popular for mitigating the computational complexity of manifold learning. A new computationally effective landmark selection method that exploits spatial redundancy in the imagery is proposed. A robust, less costly landmark set with low spectral and spatial redundancy is successfully incorporated with a hybrid manifold which shares properties of both global and local manifolds. While landmark methods reduce computational demand, the resulting manifolds may not represent subtle features of the manifold adequately. Active learning heuristics are introduced to increase the number of landmarks, with the goal of developing more representative manifolds for spectral unmixing. By communicating between the landmark set and the query criteria relative to spectral unmixing, more representative and stable manifolds with less spectrally and spatially redundant landmarks are developed. A new ranking method based on the pixels with locally high spectral variability within image subsets and convex-geometry finds a solution more quickly and precisely. Experiments were conducted to evaluate the proposed methods using the AVIRIS Cuprite hyperspectral reference dataset. A case study of manifold learning based spectral unmixing in agricultural areas is included in the dissertation.Remotely sensed data collected by airborne or spaceborne sensors are utilized to quantify crop residue cover over an extensive area. Although remote sensing indices are popular for characterizing residue amounts, they are not effective with noisy Hyperion data because the effect of residual striping artifacts is amplified in ratios involving band differences. In this case study, spectral unmixing techniques are investigated for estimating crop residue as an alternative approach to empirical models developed using band based indices. The spectral unmixing techniques, and especially the manifold learning approaches, provide more robust, lower RMSE estimates for crop residue cover than the hyperspectral index based method for Hyperion data

Unmixing multitemporal hyperspectral images accounting for smooth and abrupt variations

A classical problem in hyperspectral imaging, referred to as hyperspectral unmixing, consists in estimating spectra associated with each material present in an image and their proportions in each pixel. In practice, illumination variations (e.g., due to declivity or complex interactions with the observed materials) and the possible presence of outliers can result in significant changes in both the shape and the amplitude of the measurements, thus modifying the extracted signatures. In this context, sequences of hyperspectral images are expected to be simultaneously affected by such phenomena when acquired on the same area at different time instants. Thus, we propose a hierarchical Bayesian model to simultaneously account for smooth and abrupt spectral variations affecting a set of multitemporal hyperspectral images to be jointly unmixed. This model assumes that smooth variations can be interpreted as the result of endmember variability, whereas abrupt variations are due to significant changes in the imaged scene (e.g., presence of outliers, additional endmembers, etc.). The parameters of this Bayesian model are estimated using samples generated by a Gibbs sampler according to its posterior. Performance assessment is conducted on synthetic data in comparison with state-of-the-art unmixing methods

An evaluation of Multiple Endmember Spectral Mixture Analysis applied to Landsat 8 OLI images for mapping land cover in southern Africa\u27s Savanna.

Mapping land cover in southern Africa’s savannas using traditional pixel based remote sensing techniques can be very challenging due to the heterogeneity of its vegetation structure and the spectral difficulty in separating similar land covers across various land uses. In order to overcome these complications, a Multiple Endmember Spectral Mixture Analysis (MESMA) provides a potential remote sensing approach to quantify spectral variation in the physical environment at a subpixel level. The MESMA approach was applied in the study area of the Mayuni Conservancy, in Namibia. Results show that 32.3% of the study area is covered by photosynthetic vegetation (PV), 32.0% by non-photosynthetic vegetation (NPV), 25.2% by bare soil (B) and 10.6% by shade. Post-classification validation shows that MESMA presented a moderate performance in estimating the proportions of land cover types in the study area. However the validation process is limited to the available resources and carries great subjectivity. It is concluded that future research on the matter should include a more consistent investigation on the endmember selection methodology and expand the study area inside of the same ecosystem