Collaborative representation and confidence-driven semi-supervised learning for hyperspectral image classification

Hyperspectral image (HSI) classification faces challenges in diverse scenarios due to spectral-spatial complexity and class imbalance. Existing methods lack generalizability. This paper presents a novel Graph-Convolutional Networks with Adaptive Region Ensembles (GCN-ARE) framework. It integrates graph spectral learning, dynamic region subdivision, and classifier fusion. The key contributions are as follows: First, a normalized graph Laplacian operator ensures graph spectral stability, bounding the eigenvalue spectrum to stabilize feature propagation and address gradient issues in irregular terrains. Second, recursive K-means clustering under empirical risk bounds achieves adaptive region optimality, dynamically partitioning complex regions for enhanced local discriminability. Third, theoretical guarantees based on Hoeffding’s inequality enable dynamic ensemble consistency, facilitating optimal classifier selection under spatial-spectral uncertainty. Experiments on four HSI datasets (Botswana, Houston, Indian Pines, WHU-Hi-LongKou) show that GCN-ARE outperforms benchmarks like ViT and GAT, with average OA improvements of 1.5–5.7%. Ablation studies confirm the importance of adaptive subdivision and ensemble modules, and parameter sensitivity analyses reveal its robustness. The framework sets a new standard for robust HSI classification with its theoretical rigor and practical efficacy.