Properties of minimal ghosts

A ghost image is an array of signed pixel values so positioned as to create zero-sums in all discrete projections taken across that image for a pre-defined set of angles. The discrete projection scheme used here is the finite Radon transform. Minimal ghosts employ just 2N pixels to generate zero-sum projections at N projection angles. We describe efficient methods to construct order minimal ghost images on prime-sized 2D arrays. Ghost images or switching components are important in discrete image reconstruction. Ghosts usually grow larger as they are constrained by more projection angles. When ghosts become too large to be added to an image, image reconstruction from projections becomes unique and exact. Ghosts can be used to synthesize image/anti-image data that will also exhibit zero-sum projections at N pre-defined angles. We examine the remarkable symmetry, cross- and auto-correlation properties of minimal ghosts. The geometric properties of minimal ghost images may make them suitable to embed in data as watermarks.