A Hierarchical Local-Sparse Model for Semantic Change Detection in Remote Sensing Imagery

In response to the existing challenges in semantic change detection (SCD) for remote sensing images, such as weak spatiotemporal correlation and insufficient utilization of local neighborhood information, this article proposes a SCD network based on hierarchical local-sparse attention (HLSNet). The...

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Main Authors: Fachuan He, Hao Chen, Shuting Yang, Zhixiang Guo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IEEE 2025-01-01
Series:IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing
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Online Access:https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10818768/
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author Fachuan He
Hao Chen
Shuting Yang
Zhixiang Guo
author_facet Fachuan He
Hao Chen
Shuting Yang
Zhixiang Guo
author_sort Fachuan He
collection DOAJ
description In response to the existing challenges in semantic change detection (SCD) for remote sensing images, such as weak spatiotemporal correlation and insufficient utilization of local neighborhood information, this article proposes a SCD network based on hierarchical local-sparse attention (HLSNet). The network combines a fully convolutional network with a deep transformer structure to leverage the advantages of local feature extraction and long-range information connection. Next, a hierarchical local-sparse attention is proposed to exploit the neighborhood characteristics of target pixels using a dual-window attention mechanism, the aim is to increase the receptive field while minimizing the interference of redundant information. By focusing on all tokens within a smaller window and dynamically selecting key tokens within a larger window for attention calculation, this two-tiered attention approach allows the model to handle details while capturing broader contextual information. The small window provides tightly related local information, while the larger window offers relevant but potentially more distant information, achieving a hierarchical processing of information from local to long-range. In order to facilitate more comprehensive interaction between the features of pre- and postchange images, each transformer block in the network employs a strategy of concatenating self-attention and cross attention. This approach better captures the spatiotemporal correlations and feature integration, thus achieving efficient and precise change detection. HLSNet achieves the highest accuracy on the two commonly used SCD datasets, SECOND, and Landsat-SCD, with <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">${{F}_{\text {scd}}}$</tex-math></inline-formula> values reaching 62.53&#x0025; and 91.67&#x0025;, respectively.
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institution Kabale University
issn 1939-1404
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publishDate 2025-01-01
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spelling doaj-art-5b83d8458fe54eb5bb050767ddca43572025-01-21T00:00:42ZengIEEEIEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing1939-14042151-15352025-01-01183144315910.1109/JSTARS.2024.352291010818768A Hierarchical Local-Sparse Model for Semantic Change Detection in Remote Sensing ImageryFachuan He0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8220-2877Hao Chen1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1837-3986Shuting Yang2Zhixiang Guo3https://orcid.org/0009-0009-6599-9525School of Electronics and Information Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, ChinaSchool of Electronics and Information Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, ChinaSchool of Electronics and Information Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, ChinaSchool of Electronics and Information Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, ChinaIn response to the existing challenges in semantic change detection (SCD) for remote sensing images, such as weak spatiotemporal correlation and insufficient utilization of local neighborhood information, this article proposes a SCD network based on hierarchical local-sparse attention (HLSNet). The network combines a fully convolutional network with a deep transformer structure to leverage the advantages of local feature extraction and long-range information connection. Next, a hierarchical local-sparse attention is proposed to exploit the neighborhood characteristics of target pixels using a dual-window attention mechanism, the aim is to increase the receptive field while minimizing the interference of redundant information. By focusing on all tokens within a smaller window and dynamically selecting key tokens within a larger window for attention calculation, this two-tiered attention approach allows the model to handle details while capturing broader contextual information. The small window provides tightly related local information, while the larger window offers relevant but potentially more distant information, achieving a hierarchical processing of information from local to long-range. In order to facilitate more comprehensive interaction between the features of pre- and postchange images, each transformer block in the network employs a strategy of concatenating self-attention and cross attention. This approach better captures the spatiotemporal correlations and feature integration, thus achieving efficient and precise change detection. HLSNet achieves the highest accuracy on the two commonly used SCD datasets, SECOND, and Landsat-SCD, with <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">${{F}_{\text {scd}}}$</tex-math></inline-formula> values reaching 62.53&#x0025; and 91.67&#x0025;, respectively.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10818768/Attentionlocal-sparseremote sensingsemantic change detection (SCD)transformer
spellingShingle Fachuan He
Hao Chen
Shuting Yang
Zhixiang Guo
A Hierarchical Local-Sparse Model for Semantic Change Detection in Remote Sensing Imagery
IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing
Attention
local-sparse
remote sensing
semantic change detection (SCD)
transformer
title A Hierarchical Local-Sparse Model for Semantic Change Detection in Remote Sensing Imagery
title_full A Hierarchical Local-Sparse Model for Semantic Change Detection in Remote Sensing Imagery
title_fullStr A Hierarchical Local-Sparse Model for Semantic Change Detection in Remote Sensing Imagery
title_full_unstemmed A Hierarchical Local-Sparse Model for Semantic Change Detection in Remote Sensing Imagery
title_short A Hierarchical Local-Sparse Model for Semantic Change Detection in Remote Sensing Imagery
title_sort hierarchical local sparse model for semantic change detection in remote sensing imagery
topic Attention
local-sparse
remote sensing
semantic change detection (SCD)
transformer
url https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10818768/
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