Total variational noise reduction method for EBAPS image based on weighted nuclear norm minimization

The electron-bombarded active pixel sensor (EBAPS) is a highly sensitive vacuum-solid hybrid low-light imaging device capable of functioning in ultra-low illumination environments as low as 10-4 lx. However, this high sensitivity also causes problems, such as a low signal-to-noise ratio and complex noise. To enhance the quality of low-light night vision images captured by EBAPS and achieve effective imaging in ultra-low illumination, this study proposes a noise reduction algorithm based on the noise characteristics of EBAPS images. By utilizing the weighted nuclear norm minimization (WNNM) as the fundamental framework, several enhanced methods to address the multi-source noise of the EBAPS under ultra-low illumination have been proposed. These methods include outlier removal and variance-stabilizing transformation. To address the lack of edge preservation, a four-directional total variational regularization term has been incorporated into the WNNM model to maintain the image edge. Experimental results demonstrated that the improved method effectively eliminates various types of EBAPS noise while considerably returning the edges, ultimately enhancing the quality of low-light images. This study greatly facilitates subsequent applications of the low-light night vision technology.