CRITICAL-POINT DETECTION IN FLUID-FLOW IMAGES USING DYNAMICAL SYSTEM PROPERTIES

This paper introduces an algorithm for critical point detection in tex tured fluid flow images. A new measure is defined, based on dynamical system properties, that identifies candidate critical points in an ori entation field. The candidates are verified or rejected based on estim ates of the local flow field properties. The algorithm can locate part ially occluded and degraded flow structures, and applications of this algorithm to experimental flow imagery are included. The algorithm per formance is quantified, and it is compared to other detectors. (C) 199 7 Pattern Recognition Society. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.