% Coherent Noise Detection
function [mode, length_of_histogram] = coherent_noise(histogram, ignore)
% This routine defines blank, noisy images that have histograms that are not
% single-moded (e.g. like Gaussian or Poisson noise) as having coherent
% noise, i.e. artifacts in the image that are not random and not necessrily repetitive.
% This is useful for determing if an imaging sensor is working properly
% by imaging a uniform scene/target and confirming that the only signal
% variations are due to sensor noise.
% The routine returns the locations of the modes in the histogram
% Variable "ignore" is the minimum mode height to be recognized.
% Any frequency of occurrence smaller than this value is considered noise.
length_of_histogram=length(histogram);
for i=1:length_of_histogram-2,
coherent(i)=0;
A=histogram(i+2)-histogram(i+1);
B=histogram(i+1)-histogram(i);
% If the histogram indicates a fall from a peak and the height of the histogram
% is high enough, designate this point as a mode
if ((A<0) & (B>=0)), coherent(i)=1;
end;
if ((coherent==1) & (histogram(i+1)<ignore)), coherent(i)=0;
end;
end;
[mode]=find(coherent);
