The artifacts detection is a step of data cleaning process. The classical approach is to predict or determine the existence of defects, to model it, and then design a method to detect and correct them. This classical approach is for specific artifacts. The approach presented in this work is using complexity distortion theory to implement a more generic method, thus, this work will aim at developing parameter free methods able to automatically detect artifacts in EO images. We use the Kolmogorov Structure Function as approximation to the Rate-distortion curve and examine how the artifacts can have the same structure. © 2011 IEEE.