Application of Compound Night Light Index Derived from DMSP/OLS Data to Urbanization Analysis in China in the 1990s
20世纪90年代中国城市时空变化特征——基于灯光指数CNLI方法的探讨

This paper presented compounded night light index (CNLI) derived from DMSP/OLS data which were pre-processed by Japan National Institute of Environmental Studies for regional urbanization level estimation considering the light spatial distribution and intensity. The correlation analyses between light indices and composite urbanization indices were carried out at provincial level and county level. They can also be carried out in other scales if appropriate census data are available. The results show that there were significant re-lationships between the two kinds of indices. The regression models at provincial scale and county scale for composite urbanization index estimation using CNLI were also developed. It suggests that CNLI is an effective and applicable index for regional urbanization analysis and monitoring. Analysis of the changes of CNLI, S and I in China during the period 1992-1998 showed that the imbalance of urbanization level in China was obvious. It was higher in the east and lower in the west. Urbanization level was improved largely during 1992-1998, but the speed and the type of development were different.