Is ridgelet transform better than wavelet transform in SAR and optical image fusion

In our research on SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) and optical image fusion, we have tried ridgelet transform and found it to be more effective than wavelet transform in two respects for fusion of SAR and optical images; (1) preservation of important information of SAR and optical images; (2) noise suppression. In the paper, we explain in detail how to apply ridgelet transform to SAR and optical image fusion. The principal results of E.J. Candes' Ph. D dissertation are given in the paper; the supplementary theory of ridgelet transform, needed in SAR and optical image fusion and culminating mathematically is proposed. We performed SAR and optical image fusion experiments. The results were evaluated by DCs (Difference Coefficients), and by ENLs (Equivalent Numbers of Looks). The DCs and ENLs show preliminarily that ridgelet transform is more effective than wavelet transform in the above-mentioned two respects.