Double Markov random fields and Bayesian image segmentation

Markov random fields are used extensively in modelbased approaches to image segmentation and, under the Bayesian paradigm, are implemented through Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods. In this paper, we describe a class of such models (the double Markov random field) for images composed of several textures, which we consider to be the natural hierarchical model for such a task. We show how several of the Bayesian approaches in the literature can be viewed as modifications of this model, made in order to make MCMC implementation possible. From a simulation study, conclusions are made concerning the performance of these modified models.