Mapping Nighttime Lights using the VIIRS Day/Night Band

Abstract:

Temporal patterns in nighttime lights can reveal changes in economic activity, population, and development. Identifying areas of change mandates a baseline of nighttime light sources to use for comparison. Ideally this baseline would be free from ephemeral events such as fires, and have background (non-light) values identified and removed. Annual maps of persistent light sources have historically been created using data from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program Operational Linescan System (DMSP-OLS) sensor, but the last available annual product is from 2013. Using the more recently available data from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite Day/Night Band (VIIRS-DNB) provides an opportunity to extend the record of nighttime lights products beyond the DMSP era, and it is possible to create vastly improved products due to the increased spatial resolution and dynamic range of the DNB over the OLS. This presentation will focus on the use of long time-series of DNB radiance values to identify background (non-light) areas and to separate areas with persistent nighttime lights from ephemeral lights, especially fires. Stability of the DNB radiance values will also be addressed.