Overview of DMSP nightime lights and future possibilities

Author

Elvidge, Christopher D. ; Erwin, Edward H. ; Baugh, Kimberly E. ; Ziskin, Daniel ; Tuttle, Benjamin T. ; Ghosh, Tilottama ; Sutton, Paul C.

Author_Institution

Earth Obs. Group, NOAA Nat. Geophys. Data Center, Boulder, CO, USA

fYear

2009

fDate

20-22 May 2009

Firstpage

1

Lastpage

5

Abstract

The Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Operational Linescan System (OLS) has a unique capability to collect low-light imaging data of the earth at night. The OLS and its predecessors have collected this style of data on a nightly global basis since 1972. The digital archive of OLS data extends back to 1992. Over the years several global nighttime lights products have been generated. NGDC has now produced a set of global cloud-free nighttime lights products, specifically processed for the detection of changes in lighting emitted by human settlements, spanning 1992-93 to 2008. While the OLS is far from ideal for observing nighttime lights, the DMSP nighttime lights products have been successfully used in modeling the spatial distribution of population density, carbon emissions, and economic activity.

Keywords

lighting; remote sensing; AD 1972; AD 1992 to 2008; DMSP Operational Linescan System; DMSP nightime lights; Defense Meteorological Satellite Program; NGDC; carbon emissions spatial distribution; economic activity spatial distribution; global cloud free nighttime lights products; human settlement lighting; low light imaging data; population density spatial distribution; Earth; Economic indicators; Extraterrestrial measurements; Geophysical measurements; Humans; Meteorology; Remote sensing; Satellite broadcasting; Spatial resolution; Urban areas;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Urban Remote Sensing Event, 2009 Joint

Conference_Location

Shanghai

Print_ISBN

978-1-4244-3460-2

Electronic_ISBN

978-1-4244-3461-9

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/URS.2009.5137749

Filename

5137749