Underwater moving targets imaging method under non-uniform active illumination based on single-polarization image

Abstract

Active polarization imaging technology can effectively recover target information in scattering media. However, traditional methods for recovering moving targets often require multiple polarization images with consistent imaging positions, which has high requirements for the number and accuracy of detection equipment, increasing the time and cost of experiments. Additionally, non-uniform illumination from active light sources may further degrade underwater imaging quality. To address these issues, this study propose a single-polarization imaging method for underwater moving targets under active non-uniform illumination, we analyze backscattered intensity at various image positions and correlate it with the backscattered light distributions estimated through low-pass filtering, achieving an accurate global estimation of backscattered light. Subsequently, we improve the dynamic descattering model and introduce single-polarization imaging theory to enhance the stability of recovering moving targets by reducing polarization imaging inputs. Theoretical and experimental findings demonstrate that this method enhances imaging efficiency while achieving clear recovery of moving targets across various turbidity levels, effectively resolving uneven brightness throughout the image. Compared to other dynamic polarization imaging methods, using a single input offers greater practicality for dynamic descattering. The recovery video results of the moving target further demonstrate the effectiveness of this method in dynamic descattering of highly polarized objects.