Finnish Meteorological Institute Image Processing Toolbox (Fmiprot) User Manual

Abstract

FMI Image processing tool (FMIPROT) is software designed as a toolbox for image processing for phenological and meteorological purposes, under the MONIMET Project, funded by EU Life+ Programme (2013-2017) (http://monimet.fmi.fi). The purpose of the software was to create a platform that communicates with the MONIMET project camera network in Finland, as linking the cameras from the network and downloading images according to temporal criteria automatically. At the moment FMIPROT can communicate with multiple camera networks. The software provides a graphical interface to select all relevant criteria to analyze the images and view results on plots and maps. The software is expandable by adding various processing algorithms of images taken by cameras by users. Current functions of the software are, (1) Communication with multiple camera networks (2) Storing scenario conditions as files (3) Generating reports for scenario options and analyses results (4) Multiple scenarios (5) Multiple analyses in each scenario (6) Mask/ROI creation by selection with GUI (7) Filtering images according to different means of thresholds (8) Downloading and handling images (9) Quantitative image archive check (10) Expandable algorithms by plugin system (11) Customizable Plotting/Mapping of results (12) Windows and Linux support. The software has two processing algorithms: (1) Color Fraction Extraction: Calculates red fraction index, green fraction index, blue fraction index, brightness, luminance, red channel mean, red channel median, red channel standard deviation, green channel mean, green channel median, green channel standard deviation, blue channel mean, blue channel median, and blue channel standard deviation. (2) Vegetation Indices: Calculates red fraction index, green fraction index, green-red vegetation index, green excess index. (3) Custom Color Index: Calculates an index from a mathematical formula entered by the user using average values of red, green and blue channels in ROIs. The formula supports sums, differences, multiplication, and division and operation priority by using parentheses.