Simultaneous Compression and Denoising of Side Scan Sonar Images Using the Discrete Wavelet Transform

There has been an increasing interest in the use of autonomous underwater vehicles for ocean exploration. Side scan sonars are often installed onboard these vehicles to survey the sea floor. In this context, the need to transmit side scan sonar images over an acoustic low-bandwidth channel calls for the use of compression techniques. This paper proposes a wavelet-based method for compressing side scan sonar images. Wavelets are an adequate choice because their intrinsic properties suit side scan sonar images. In fact, achieved results confirm that wavelets yield high compression rates. Furthermore, wavelet-based compression enhances side scan sonar images by reducing noise without smoothing important details.