Night Time Lights Remote Sensing Methods and Applications

Scope and topics

Observations of the Earth in the visible band at night can provide information that is complementary to data from other EM bands, including the visible band during daytime. The artificial lights associated with human activity are particularly visible, and numerous night time lights (NTL) remote sensing applications have already been developed based on sensors such as the VIIRS DNB and the more recent SDGSat-1. Among these applications are energy extraction and use, electrification, urbanization and urban extent, disasters and their recovery (including conflicts), as well as major application in the study of light pollution with respect to ecology, epidemiology, and cultural heritage. Away from human settlements, observations based on natural sources light at night (e.g. moonlight, airglow, and fires) can be used to improve understanding of Earth surface and atmospheric phenomena in times and places that have not yet been explored.

Developments in cloud computing have made night lights data more accessible than ever, and advances in machine learning and the integration of NTL with other EO datasets are set to greatly increase the scope of possible applications. Furthermore, new sensors from commercial operators and space agencies on both space-based and aerial platforms (e.g. high altitude pseudo satellites) will come online in the coming years, expanding the range of possible remote sensing applications once again. This special session therefore invites presentations on all methods and applications of NTL remote sensing.

List of topics

• Population distribution, mobility, and activity rhythms
• Disasters, conflicts, and recovery processes
• Electrification, development, and blackouts
• Maritime surveillance, fisheries, and “dark fleet” detection
• Security, defence, and critical infrastructure monitoring
• Energy consumption, trace gas (CO₂, NO_x) emissions
• Extractive industry characterization (e.g. gas flaring, mining)
• Multispectral NTL and source identification
• Nighttime aerosol properties
• Impact of artificial light on atmospheric chemistry
• Natural light applications (e.g. airglow, fires, land and sea reflectance in moonlight)
• Radiometric calibration and cross-sensor harmonisation
• Super-resolution and multimodal fusion (SAR/optical/hyperspectral)
• Uncertainty quantification and benchmarking
• FAIR/open data and reproducible pipelines
• Public health and artificial light exposure
• Ecology and biodiversity responses to artificial light at night
• Skyglow mapping, modelling, and mitigation
• Astronomy, dark sky protection, and policy evaluation
• Tourism, cultural events, and nighttime economies

Christopher KYBA

Institute of Geography, Ruhr University Bochum

E-mail: christopher.kyba@rub.de

Hector LINARES

Spatial Studies Institute of Catalonia, ICCUB-IEEC

E-mail: linares@ieec.cat

Angela ABASCAL

Engineer Faculty, Public University of Navarra

E-mail: angela.abascal@unavarra.es