METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR NORMALIZING IMAGES

The current document is directed to digital-image-normalization methods and systems that generate accurate intensity mappings between the intensities in two digital images. The intensity mapping generated from two digital images is used to normalize or adjust the intensities in one image in order to produce a pair of normalized digital images to which various types of change-detection methodologies can be applied in order to extract differential data. In one approach, a mapping model is selected to provide a basis for statistically meaningful intensity normalization. In this implementation, a genetic optimization approach is used to determine and refine model parameters. The implementation produces a hybrid intensity mapping that includes both intensity mappings calculated by application of the mapping model and intensity mappings obtained directly from comparison of the images.