Automatic cloud type recognition of ground-based infrared images is still a challenging task. A novel cloud classification method is proposed to group images into five cloud types based on manifold and texture features. Compared with statistical features in Euclidean space, manifold features extracted on symmetric positive definite (SPD) matrix space can describe the non-Euclidean geometric characteristics of the infrared image more effectively. The proposed method comprises three stages: pre-processing, feature extraction and classification. Cloud classification is performed by a support vector machine (SVM). The datasets are comprised of the zenithal and whole-sky images taken by the Whole-Sky Infrared Cloud-Measuring System (WSIRCMS). Benefiting from the joint features, compared to the recent two models of cloud type recognition, the experimental results illustrate that the proposed method acquires a higher recognition rate with an increase of 2%–10% on the ground-based infrared datasets.
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