Extensive Guide to Night-time Light Data Now Available
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Source: NASA
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Night-time light imagery from remote sensing data sources offers a uniquely
“human” view of the Earth’s surface, as it is due almost entirely to some form
of human activity. This illustrated guide introduces users to the types of
night-time light data available, the characteristics, and the limitations. The
second part of the guide examines how the data source has been and may be used
to derive useful information about human presence and activities on Earth.
Topics range from population and light pollution to economic activity,
greenhouse gas emissions, and using night-time lights to help with disaster
management. The ecological ramifications of night-time lighting are also
considered. The final section of the guide explores other potential sources of
night-time light data and how future systems may enhance existing capabilities
for understanding the human environment through the observation of lights at
night. The Guide was developed by former Earth Institute Fellow Christopher
Doll, with support from the NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center
(SEDAC) operated by CIESIN.
See: Night-time Light Remote Sensing and Its Applications Web site
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