Multiscale gradient domain compression for astronomical high dynamic range imaging

Abstract

Visualisation of high dynamic range images requires compression of the data to be properly displayed on media with more limited dynamic ranges. Astronomical images pose a difficult challenge for dynamic range compression algorithms, due to the nature of the imaged objects and to the lack of a reflectance illumination model based on spatial frequencies. As a result, most of the algorithms commonly used for daylight high dynamic range compression fail in achieving an optimal visualisation of astronomical targets. We propose an extended multiscale algorithm based on compression of the dynamic range in the gradient domain. Our algorithm effectively compresses the dynamic range, enhances local contrast and avoids noise amplification. This is achieved with a multiscale representation of the image and the use of luminance information. Our results show a significantly improved visualisation of astronomical images compared to the standard gradient domain compression, as well as more robustness to noise and better artefact suppression.