Clustering data by melting

  • Authors:
  • Yiu-fai Wong

  • Affiliations:
  • -

  • Venue:
  • Neural Computation
  • Year:
  • 1993

Quantified Score

Hi-index 0.00

Visualization

Abstract

We derive a new clustering algorithm based on information theoryand statistical mechanics, which is the only algorithm thatincorporates scale. It also introduces a new concept intoclustering: cluster independence. The cluster centers correspond tothe local minima of a thermodynamic free energy, which areidentified as the fixed points of a one-parameter nonlinear map.The algorithm works by melting the system to produce a tree ofclusters in the scale space. Melting is also insensitive tovariability in cluster densities, cluster sizes, and ellipsoidalshapes and orientations. We tested the algorithm successfully onboth simulated data and a Synthetic Aperture Radar image of anagricultural site with 12 attributes for crop identification.