Mixture contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization for underwater image enhancement

Within the last decades, improving the quality of an underwater image has received considerable attention due to poor visibility of the image which is caused by physical properties of the water medium. This paper presents a new method called mixture Contrast Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization (CLAHE) color models that specifically developed for underwater image enhancement. The method operates CLAHE on RGB and HSV color models and both results are combined together using Euclidean norm. The underwater images used in this study were taken from Redang Island and Bidong Island in Terengganu, Malaysia. Experimental results show that the proposed approach significantly improves the visual quality of underwater images by enhancing contrast, as well as reducing noise and artifacts.