Spatial information recognizing of ocean eddies based on virtual force field and its application

A new approach to detecting ocean eddies automatically from remote sensing imageries based on the ocean eddy's eigen-pattern in remote sensing imagery and "force field-based shape extracting method" is proposed. First, the analysis on extracting eddies' edges from remote sensing imagery using conventional edge detection arithmetic operators is performed and returns digitized vector edge data as a result. Second, attraction forces and fusion forces between edge curves were analyzed and calculated based on the vector eddy edges. Thirdly, the virtual significant spatial patterns of eddy were detected automatically using iterative repetition followed by optimized rule. Finally, the spatial form auto-detection of different types of ocean eddies was done using satellite images. The study verified that this is an effective way to identify and detect the ocean eddy with a complex form.