Texture analysis of sidescan sonar imagery using statistical scattering models

Abstract

It is shown that the generalised K-distribution provides a good fir to the amplrtude statisttcs of sonar imagery from several different types of seabed sediment. A number of possible explanations for the Ricean nature of the speckle component have been put forward. A method of refining the estimated positron of a sediment boundary using maximum likelihood is also presented.