Using a photograph containing the sun to measure the rotation and slope of terrain

Xia Wang*, Zimu Wu, Fei Chen, Weiqi Jin

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

The measurement accuracy of the rotation and slope of terrain is a critical factor for the performance of some scene simulation application systems. As the main observed illuminant outdoors, the sun can furnish a rich source of information about the scene. In this paper, we analyze the relationship between the coordinates of the sun in photographs and the zenith and azimuth angles of the camera. By fitting a model of the predicted sun position to the pinhole camera model, we show how to measure the rotation and slope of terrain by using a photograph containing the sun. We test our methods on a sequence of photographs with known camera parameters, and obtain deviation of less than 1.7° for the rotation angle and 2.2° for the slope angle of the terrain. The measuring method by using a photograph containing the sun can be useful for a variety of practical applications such as navigation, time measurement and camera calibration.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationAOPC 2017
Subtitle of host publication3D Measurement Technology for Intelligent Manufacturing
EditorsAnand Krishna Asundi, Huijie Zhao, Wolfgang Osten
PublisherSPIE
ISBN (Electronic)9781510613973
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2017
EventApplied Optics and Photonics China: 3D Measurement Technology for Intelligent Manufacturing, AOPC 2017 - Beijing, China
Duration: 4 Jun 20176 Jun 2017

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume10458
ISSN (Print)0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)1996-756X

Conference

ConferenceApplied Optics and Photonics China: 3D Measurement Technology for Intelligent Manufacturing, AOPC 2017
Country/TerritoryChina
CityBeijing
Period4/06/176/06/17

Keywords

  • Photograph
  • Rotation
  • Slope
  • Sun position
  • Terrain

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Wang, X., Wu, Z., Chen, F., & Jin, W. (2017). Using a photograph containing the sun to measure the rotation and slope of terrain. In A. K. Asundi, H. Zhao, & W. Osten (Eds.), AOPC 2017: 3D Measurement Technology for Intelligent Manufacturing Article 1045817 (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering; Vol. 10458). SPIE. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2285009