A Full-Scale Shadow Detection Network Based on Multiple Attention Mechanisms for Remote-Sensing Images

Shadows degrade image quality and complicate interpretation, underscoring the importance of accurate shadow detection for many image analysis tasks. However, due to the complex backgrounds and variable shadow characteristics of remote sensing images (RSIs), existing methods often struggle with accur...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lei Zhang, Qing Zhang, Yu Wu, Yanfeng Zhang, Shan Xiang, Donghai Xie, Zeyu Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Remote Sensing
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/16/24/4789
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1846102897982439424
author Lei Zhang
Qing Zhang
Yu Wu
Yanfeng Zhang
Shan Xiang
Donghai Xie
Zeyu Wang
author_facet Lei Zhang
Qing Zhang
Yu Wu
Yanfeng Zhang
Shan Xiang
Donghai Xie
Zeyu Wang
author_sort Lei Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Shadows degrade image quality and complicate interpretation, underscoring the importance of accurate shadow detection for many image analysis tasks. However, due to the complex backgrounds and variable shadow characteristics of remote sensing images (RSIs), existing methods often struggle with accurately detecting shadows of various scales and misclassifying dark, non-shaded areas as shadows. To address these issues, we proposed a comprehensive shadow detection network called MAMNet. Firstly, we proposed a multi-scale spatial channel attention fusion module, which extracted multi-scale features incorporating both spatial and channel information, allowing the model to flexibly adapt to shadows of different scales. Secondly, to address the issue of false detection in non-shadow areas, we introduced a criss-cross attention module, enabling non-shadow pixels to be compared with other shadow and non-shadow pixels in the same row and column, learning similar features of pixels in the same category, which improved the classification accuracy of non-shadow pixels. Finally, to address the issue of important information from the other two modules being lost due to continuous upsampling during the decoding phase, we proposed an auxiliary branch module to assist the main branch in decision-making, ensuring that the final output retained the key information from all stages. The experimental results demonstrated that the model outperformed the current state-of-the-art RSI shadow detection method on the aerial imagery dataset for shadow detection (AISD). The model achieved an overall accuracy (OA) of 97.50%, an <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msub><mi>F</mi><mn>1</mn></msub></semantics></math></inline-formula> score of 94.07%, an intersection over union (IOU) of 88.87%, a precision of 95.06%, and a BER of 4.05%, respectively. Additionally, visualization results indicated that our model could effectively detect shadows of various scales while avoiding false detection in non-shadow areas. Therefore, this model offers an efficient solution for shadow detection in aerial imagery.
format Article
id doaj-art-f5d08b400602456cb7fe76ef4fce5a10
institution Kabale University
issn 2072-4292
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Remote Sensing
spelling doaj-art-f5d08b400602456cb7fe76ef4fce5a102024-12-27T14:51:13ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922024-12-011624478910.3390/rs16244789A Full-Scale Shadow Detection Network Based on Multiple Attention Mechanisms for Remote-Sensing ImagesLei Zhang0Qing Zhang1Yu Wu2Yanfeng Zhang3Shan Xiang4Donghai Xie5Zeyu Wang6Henan Key Laboratory of Big Data Analysis and Processing, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, ChinaHenan Key Laboratory of Big Data Analysis and Processing, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, ChinaInstitute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, ChinaHenan Key Laboratory of Big Data Analysis and Processing, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, ChinaCollege of Mathematics and Information Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, ChinaInstitute of Resource and Environment, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, ChinaInstitute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, ChinaShadows degrade image quality and complicate interpretation, underscoring the importance of accurate shadow detection for many image analysis tasks. However, due to the complex backgrounds and variable shadow characteristics of remote sensing images (RSIs), existing methods often struggle with accurately detecting shadows of various scales and misclassifying dark, non-shaded areas as shadows. To address these issues, we proposed a comprehensive shadow detection network called MAMNet. Firstly, we proposed a multi-scale spatial channel attention fusion module, which extracted multi-scale features incorporating both spatial and channel information, allowing the model to flexibly adapt to shadows of different scales. Secondly, to address the issue of false detection in non-shadow areas, we introduced a criss-cross attention module, enabling non-shadow pixels to be compared with other shadow and non-shadow pixels in the same row and column, learning similar features of pixels in the same category, which improved the classification accuracy of non-shadow pixels. Finally, to address the issue of important information from the other two modules being lost due to continuous upsampling during the decoding phase, we proposed an auxiliary branch module to assist the main branch in decision-making, ensuring that the final output retained the key information from all stages. The experimental results demonstrated that the model outperformed the current state-of-the-art RSI shadow detection method on the aerial imagery dataset for shadow detection (AISD). The model achieved an overall accuracy (OA) of 97.50%, an <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msub><mi>F</mi><mn>1</mn></msub></semantics></math></inline-formula> score of 94.07%, an intersection over union (IOU) of 88.87%, a precision of 95.06%, and a BER of 4.05%, respectively. Additionally, visualization results indicated that our model could effectively detect shadows of various scales while avoiding false detection in non-shadow areas. Therefore, this model offers an efficient solution for shadow detection in aerial imagery.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/16/24/4789shadow detectionremote sensingattention mechanismmulti-scale feature extraction
spellingShingle Lei Zhang
Qing Zhang
Yu Wu
Yanfeng Zhang
Shan Xiang
Donghai Xie
Zeyu Wang
A Full-Scale Shadow Detection Network Based on Multiple Attention Mechanisms for Remote-Sensing Images
Remote Sensing
shadow detection
remote sensing
attention mechanism
multi-scale feature extraction
title A Full-Scale Shadow Detection Network Based on Multiple Attention Mechanisms for Remote-Sensing Images
title_full A Full-Scale Shadow Detection Network Based on Multiple Attention Mechanisms for Remote-Sensing Images
title_fullStr A Full-Scale Shadow Detection Network Based on Multiple Attention Mechanisms for Remote-Sensing Images
title_full_unstemmed A Full-Scale Shadow Detection Network Based on Multiple Attention Mechanisms for Remote-Sensing Images
title_short A Full-Scale Shadow Detection Network Based on Multiple Attention Mechanisms for Remote-Sensing Images
title_sort full scale shadow detection network based on multiple attention mechanisms for remote sensing images
topic shadow detection
remote sensing
attention mechanism
multi-scale feature extraction
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/16/24/4789
work_keys_str_mv AT leizhang afullscaleshadowdetectionnetworkbasedonmultipleattentionmechanismsforremotesensingimages
AT qingzhang afullscaleshadowdetectionnetworkbasedonmultipleattentionmechanismsforremotesensingimages
AT yuwu afullscaleshadowdetectionnetworkbasedonmultipleattentionmechanismsforremotesensingimages
AT yanfengzhang afullscaleshadowdetectionnetworkbasedonmultipleattentionmechanismsforremotesensingimages
AT shanxiang afullscaleshadowdetectionnetworkbasedonmultipleattentionmechanismsforremotesensingimages
AT donghaixie afullscaleshadowdetectionnetworkbasedonmultipleattentionmechanismsforremotesensingimages
AT zeyuwang afullscaleshadowdetectionnetworkbasedonmultipleattentionmechanismsforremotesensingimages
AT leizhang fullscaleshadowdetectionnetworkbasedonmultipleattentionmechanismsforremotesensingimages
AT qingzhang fullscaleshadowdetectionnetworkbasedonmultipleattentionmechanismsforremotesensingimages
AT yuwu fullscaleshadowdetectionnetworkbasedonmultipleattentionmechanismsforremotesensingimages
AT yanfengzhang fullscaleshadowdetectionnetworkbasedonmultipleattentionmechanismsforremotesensingimages
AT shanxiang fullscaleshadowdetectionnetworkbasedonmultipleattentionmechanismsforremotesensingimages
AT donghaixie fullscaleshadowdetectionnetworkbasedonmultipleattentionmechanismsforremotesensingimages
AT zeyuwang fullscaleshadowdetectionnetworkbasedonmultipleattentionmechanismsforremotesensingimages