Low-Level Segmentation of Aerial Images with Fuzzy Clustering

A low-level segmentation methodology based upon fuzzy clustering principles is developed. The approach utilizes region growing concepts and a pyramid data structure for the hierarchical analysis of aerial images. It is assumed that measurement vectors corresponding to perceptually homogeneous regions cluster together in the measurement space. The fuzzy c-means (FCM) clustering algorithm is used in the formulation. Utilization of the fuzzy partitioning allows one to derive a correspondence between the cluster membership function values and (the proportions of) the classes constituting a region. Thus cluster membership values can be used to split mixture regions into smaller regions at a higher resolution level. The feasibility of the methodology is evaluated using a three-channel Landsat image. The results show that the FCM clustering can be used in the single-level segmentation; and that cluster membership function values derived using this algorithm can be utilized effectively as indicators of region homogeneity.