On the Axioms of Scale Space Theory

We consider alternative scale space representations beyond the well-established Gaussian case that satisfy all “reasonable” axioms. One of these turns out to be subject to a first order pseudo partial differential equation equivalent to the Laplace equation on the upper half plane {(x, s) ∈ ℝd × ℝ | s > 0}. We investigate this so-called Poisson scale space and show that it is indeed a viable alternative to Gaussian scale space. Poisson and Gaussian scale space are related via a one-parameter class of operationally well-defined intermediate representations generated by a fractional power of (minus) the spatial Laplace operator.