Working with ENVI > ENVI User's Guide > Basic Tools

Change Detection Analysis

Change Detection Analysis encompasses a broad range of methods used to identify, describe, and quantify differences between
images of the same scene at different times or under different conditions. You can use many of ENVI's tools (such as Band Math or
Principal Components Analysis) independently, or in combination, as part of a change detection analysis. In addition, the routines
found under the ENVI main menu option Basic Tools Change Detection offer a straightforward approach to measuring
changes between a pair of images that represent an initial state and final state. Use Change Detection Statistics for classification
images; use Compute Difference Map for gray scale (single-band) images.

Computing a Difference Map

Use Compute Difference Map to produce an ENVI classification image characterizing the differences between any pair of initial
state and final state images. The input images may be single-band images of any data type. The difference is computed by
subtracting the initial state image from the final state image (that is, final - initial), and the classes are defined by change thresholds.
A positive change identifies pixels that became brighter (final state brightness was greater than the initial state brightness), while a
negative change identifies pixels that became dimmer (final state brightness was less than initial state brightness).
As an optional pre-processing step, you can normalize the input images to a data range between zero and one, or standardize
them to a zero mean and unit variance. The input images must be coregistered or georeferenced. For the most accurate results,
carefully coregister the images before processing. If the input images are not coregistered, the Compute Difference Map tool uses
the available map information to automatically coregister the images, using the initial state image as the base if re-projection or
resampling is required.

Tips for Successful Analyses

When performing a change detection analysis on non-thematic images (gray scale data), it is important to consider all of the factors
that can cause scenes of the same area to look different. The following are a few notable factors:

Differences in the instrument or sensor: Consider the similarity of the sensors that collected the images. Even bands
collected in the same part of the spectrum (for example, two red bands) may have different band center wavelengths, or
different spectral response functions, which can lead to different pixel values for the same material.

Differences in the collection date and time: Seasonal changes can impart big differences in scenes containing vegetation
(due to plant senescence and canopy architecture development). Differences in the season and time of day will also affect
the solar azimuth and elevation.

Differences in Atmospheric Conditions: The dominant weather conditions can affect atmospheric transmission and
scattering. Consistent differences in gross atmospheric conditions are often associated with seasonal changes. For example,
differences in the predominant wind direction can be important (winds blowing in over the ocean contain different aerosols
with different scattering properties from those blowing in over an urban area). Another common, yet consistent, atmospheric
difference is the water content of the atmosphere. Summer atmospheres tend to be wetter than winter atmospheres.
Atmospherically corrected images can reduce such influences.

Differences in Image Calibrations: For the most accurate change detection results, it is important to work with images that
are calibrated into the same units. If a calibration into physical units (such as radiance) is not possible, a relative calibration
may be better than none at all (especially if the instruments that collected the images have different dynamic ranges).

Differences in Image Resolution: Differing pixel sizes can lead to false change detections. It is important that the original
images (prior to resampling or re-projection) have the same pixel resolution. For scenes with large swaths (such as AVHRR,
SeaWiFS, or MODIS) the actual pixel sizes differ across the scene. In such cases, differences in the sensor viewing
geometry can also be important.

Coregistration Accuracy: Accurately coregistered images are critical for change detection analyses. While the Compute
Difference Map routine will automatically coregister the input images using the available map information, if the differences
in the image geometry are substantial, it is well worth the effort to ensure that the coregistration is as accurate as possible
before performing a change detection.

The Compute Difference Map tool does not compensate for any of these (or other) conditions. Its results are strictly dependent on
pixel-for-pixel comparisons.
1. From the ENVI main menu bar, select Basic Tools Change Detection Compute Difference Map. The Select the
`Initial State' Image dialog appears.
The input images must be georeferenced or coregistered. If the images are not coregistered, then the available map
information will be used to automatically coregister the area common to both.
2. Select a single band image representing the initial state and perform optional Spatial Subsetting, then click OK. The Select
the `Final State' Image dialog appears.
3. Select a single band image representing the final state and perform optional Spatial Subsetting, then click OK. The Compute
Difference Map Input Parameters dialog appears.
4. Enter the number of classes to use. Each class is defined by a difference threshold that represents a varying amount of
change between the two images. The minimum number of classes is two. The default classification thresholds are evenly
spaced between (-1) and (+1) for simple differences, and (-100%) and (+100%) for percent differences. The default class

definitions attempt to produce symmetric classes, with an equal number of positive and negative change classes
surrounding a No Change category. The order in which the classes are defined is as follows:
o
o

For n classes, where n is odd, the first (n/2) classes represent positive changes, starting with the largest positive
changes and ending with the smallest.
The middle class, (n/2) + 1, represents no change.

The last (n/2) classes represent negative changes, starting with the smallest negative changes end ending with the
largest.

For an even number of classes the definitions remain the same except that the number of negative classes is reduced
by one. In short, the default class definitions range from positive to negative, with the magnitude of the change increasing
with distance from the middle No Change class.

5. To modify or view the classification thresholds, define names for the classes, or import classification thresholds from a
previous result, click Define Class Thresholds. (If using default thresholds, this step is unnecessary.) The Define Class
Simple Difference Thresholds dialog appears. Each class is defined by one line in the dialog.
While you are encouraged to customize the criteria to use to define the change thresholds, It is recommended that the
classes retain their default symmetrical property, with an equal number of positive and negative classes surrounding a No
Change class. Retaining the default position (order) and type (negative or positive) of classes will make the results easier to
interpret using the classification color assignments.
o

Define class names by placing the cursor in the field next to the class you wish to rename, and enter the new class
name.

Modify class thresholds by selecting logical operators from the drop-down lists and enter numeric values in the fields
to define the thresholds for any selected class. When you click OK, ENVI saves the changes. To further modify class
thresholds, click Define Class Thresholds again. The first and last class have only one logical operator and are intended
to be open-ended.

To revert to the default classification thresholds, click Apply Defaults at the bottom of the dialog. The defaults that are
applied are dependent on the Change Type selected in the Compute Difference Map Input Parameters dialog (the Change
Type is also indicated by the title bar of the Define Class Thresholds dialog).
To undo changes made since the Define Class Thresholds dialog was last opened, click Reset. All changes made since the
dialog was brought up will be removed.

To automatically set the classification change thresholds to match those used in a previous analysis, click Match
Previous Result. The Select a Previous Difference Map Classification Result dialog appears.

Choose a Difference Map classification image produced previously using the Compute Difference Map routine that
contains the thresholds you wish to reuse, and click OK.
If necessary, the number of classes for the current analysis will be reset to match the number of classes used in the previous
analysis.
B. Set the Change Type:
o

Simple Difference: Subtracts the initial state image from the final state image.

Percent Difference: The simple difference divided by the initial state value.
o Select one of the following optional Data Pre-Processing options:

Normalization: Subtracts the image minimum and dividing by the image data range: Normalization = (DN - min) /
(max - min).

Standardization: Subtracts the image mean and dividing by the standard deviation: Standardization = (DN - mean) /
stdev.
o Select output to File or Memory.
o If the input images require warping or resampling in order to produce a coregistered pair, then an extra section
appears which allows saving the auto-coregistered images to File or Memory.
o Click OK. The resulting Difference Map classification image is color coded to indicate the magnitude of the change
between the two images. Positive changes display in shades of red, grading from gray for no change to bright red for
largest positive change. Negative changes display in shades of blue, grading from gray for no change to bright blue
for the largest negative change.

If the number of positive and negative change classes or the order in which the classes are defined has changed from the
default settings, the interpretation of the color scheme may not match that described here.