Underwater single-polarization descattering for targets with complex polarization properties

Underwater polarization imaging technology can effectively recover target information in scattering media. However, traditional methods require capturing two or more polarization images, resulting in complex imaging system structures. To address this limitation, this Letter proposes a novel, to the best of our knowledge, method to solve the perpendicular-polarized image from the parallel-polarized image, based on the generalized Malus’ law. Then, an adaptive weighting mechanism based on the spatial distribution of the target light is introduced to mitigate calculation errors in the estimation of non-uniform target light intensity on orthogonal components. Moreover, an adaptive Gaussian low-pass filter was applied to estimate the backscattered light information, enabling effective separation of target light from backscattered light. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method significantly improves image quality for complex polarization targets in turbid water, surpassing the existing single-polarization descattering technique and some traditional methods. These advancements provide both theoretical insights and technical support for the development of compact underwater polarization imaging systems.