An land masking algorithm for ship detection in SAR images

Abstract

Land masking is one of the most important stages for ship detection in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. However, a fast and efficient algorithm for land masking in SAR images is far from resolved. Current land masking algorithms are time-consuming or not accurate enough for ship detection in SAR images. In this paper, an algorithm for land masking is proposed. It is designed for ship detection in SAR images based on a series of image processing steps. Experimental results based on real SAR data demonstrate that the algorithm proposed in this paper is fast and accurate enough for ship detection in SAR images.