Restoration of distorted colour microscopic images from transverse chromatic aberration of imperfect lenses.

An algorithm is presented for restoration of colour microscopic images with distortions from imperfect microscope lenses having transverse chromatic aberrations, resulting in a magnification that slightly varies with wavelengths or colours. The differential of each colour component image is computed as the difference between the component image and its slightly magnified version. The absolute values in the differential component images are generally higher at the edges where greater discontinuities occur. The two cross-correlation functions of the absolute differentials between red and green colours and between red and blue colours are then computed. The maximum in the two cross-correlation functions were sought, respectively, and the cross-correlation delays were then calculated. The two cross-correlation delays were used to determine dispersions and to realign the three colour components. Results of real microscopic images are provided. The restored image and the original are compared both visually and quantitatively in terms of the estimated entropies measured for the degree of concentrations using vector distributions.