Single image restoration using scene ambient light differential

Abstract

In this paper, we restore images degraded by scattering and absorption such as hazy, sandstorm, and underwater images. By calculating the difference between the observed intensity and the ambient light in a degraded image scene, which we call the scene ambient light differential, we estimate the transmission map. In the restoration process, we first enhance the degraded images based on the proposed transmission estimation using the image formation model, and then use an adaptive color correction method to restore color. Experimental results on various degraded images demonstrate the proposed method outperforms other enhancement and restoration methods.