Image clarification research based on underwater multichannel active polarization image fusion

Optical imaging in marine, lake, and artificial water environments all faces the issue of image degradation caused by medium absorption and scattering effects. Improving image clarity has significant application value for underwater target detection and identification. The paper proposes a method for image sharpening based on the fusion of polarized images collected simultaneously, by constructing a three-channel polarization imaging device with a non-coaxial active polarization light source. The method extracts the internal and external parameters of the imaging system through a calibration plate, and then registers the polarization image set, followed by obtaining the Stokes vectors of the 0°, 45°, and 90° polarization image sets. Subsequently, based on the scattering light physical model obtained from the polarization orthogonal method, the target image is clarified. Finally, by integrating the feature images of polarization degree and polarization angle, the enhancement of image clarity is achieved. The experimental results indicate that the method can significantly enhance the imaging contrast, restore image details, and improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the image, demonstrating promising application prospects.