IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/envirb/v50y2023i7p1947-1963.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

How to measure large-scale complex urban network structures using night-time light satellite databases. Application to European metropolitan regions

Author

Listed:
  • Joan Marull
  • Mercè Farré
  • Marta Andreu Espuña
  • Adrià Prior
  • Vittorio Galletto
  • Joan Trullén

Abstract

This article uses new methods and evidence from satellite data on night lighting to assess the urban network structure of 100 European metropolitan regions. Its aim was to develop indicators to test the hypothesis that complex urban networks are more efficient economically and less dependent on energy consumption owing to better information organization. It uses NPP-VIIRS NTL satellite data on night lighting (NTL) and employs a topographical representation of NTL intensities to detect urban centers. Based on the distribution of NTL intensities in urban centers represented as a Lorenz curve, it develops two new indicators of monocentricity and polycentricity to evaluate large-scale urban network structures. The results show that polycentric urban networks create more innovation, which allows them to be more economically efficient and less dependent on energy consumption. Further research should study in greater detail the relationships between urban network structures and their social, economic, and ecological performances.

Suggested Citation

  • Joan Marull & Mercè Farré & Marta Andreu Espuña & Adrià Prior & Vittorio Galletto & Joan Trullén, 2023. "How to measure large-scale complex urban network structures using night-time light satellite databases. Application to European metropolitan regions," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 50(7), pages 1947-1963, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:envirb:v:50:y:2023:i:7:p:1947-1963
    DOI: 10.1177/23998083231151689
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/23998083231151689
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/23998083231151689?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nikolay K. Vitanov & Marcel Ausloos, 2015. "Test of two hypotheses explaining the size of populations in a system of cities," Journal of Applied Statistics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(12), pages 2686-2693, December.
    2. Fabio Grazi & Jeroen C.J.M. van den Bergh & Jos N. van Ommeren, 2008. "An Empirical Analysis of Urban Form, Transport, and Global Warming," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 4), pages 97-122.
    3. Marull, Joan & Farré, Mercè & Boix, Rafael & Palacio, Alan Bernardo & Ruiz-Forés, Núria, 2019. "Modelling urban networks sustainable progress," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 73-91.
    4. Rolf Aaberge, 2009. "Ranking intersecting Lorenz curves," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 33(2), pages 235-259, August.
    5. Ben Derudder & Evert Meijers & John Harrison & Michael Hoyler & Xingjian Liu, 2022. "Polycentric urban regions: conceptualization, identification and implications," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(1), pages 1-6, January.
    6. Rosseel, Yves, 2012. "lavaan: An R Package for Structural Equation Modeling," Journal of Statistical Software, Foundation for Open Access Statistics, vol. 48(i02).
    7. Xavier Gabaix, 1999. "Zipf's Law for Cities: An Explanation," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 114(3), pages 739-767.
    8. Lall,Somik V. & Lebrand,Mathilde Sylvie Maria & Soppelsa,Maria Edisa, 2021. "The Evolution of City Form : Evidence from Satellite Data," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9618, The World Bank.
    9. Dave Donaldson & Adam Storeygard, 2016. "The View from Above: Applications of Satellite Data in Economics," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 30(4), pages 171-198, Fall.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Limeng Liu & Wenheng Wu & Xiaoying Bai & Wanying Shang, 2024. "Spatio-Temporal Evolution, Internal Diversity, and Driving Factors of Economy of Guanzhong Plain Urban Agglomeration in Northwestern China Based on Nighttime Light Data," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-25, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Christian Düben & Melanie Krause, 2021. "Population, light, and the size distribution of cities," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(1), pages 189-211, January.
    2. Marull, Joan & Farré, Mercè & Boix, Rafael & Palacio, Alan Bernardo & Ruiz-Forés, Núria, 2019. "Modelling urban networks sustainable progress," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 73-91.
    3. Bluhm, Richard & Krause, Melanie, 2022. "Top lights: Bright cities and their contribution to economic development," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    4. Sonia Nawrocka & Hans De Witte & Margherita Pasini & Margherita Brondino, 2023. "A Person-Centered Approach to Job Insecurity: Is There a Reciprocal Relationship between the Quantitative and Qualitative Dimensions of Job Insecurity?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(7), pages 1-27, March.
    5. Michel DIMOU & Alexandra SCHAFFAR & Zhihong CHEN & Shihe FU, 2008. "LA CROISSANCE URBAINE CHINOISE RECONSIDeReE," Region et Developpement, Region et Developpement, LEAD, Universite du Sud - Toulon Var, vol. 27, pages 109-131.
    6. Bosker, Maarten & Brakman, Steven & Garretsen, Harry & Schramm, Marc, 2008. "A century of shocks: The evolution of the German city size distribution 1925-1999," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 38(4), pages 330-347, July.
    7. Cruzatti C., John & Bjørnskov, Christian & Sáenz de Viteri, Andrea & Cruzatti, Christian, 2024. "Geography, development, and power: Parliament leaders and local clientelism," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    8. Md. Mominur Rahman & Bilkis Akhter, 2021. "The impact of investment in human capital on bank performance: evidence from Bangladesh," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 7(1), pages 1-13, December.
    9. Klein, Alexander & Leunig, Tim, 2013. "Gibrat’s Law and the British Industrial Revolution," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 146, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
    10. Satyajit Chatterjee & Esteban Rossi‐Hansberg, 2012. "Spinoffs And The Market For Ideas," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 53(1), pages 53-93, February.
    11. Masashi Soga & Kevin J. Gaston & Yuichi Yamaura & Kiyo Kurisu & Keisuke Hanaki, 2016. "Both Direct and Vicarious Experiences of Nature Affect Children’s Willingness to Conserve Biodiversity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-12, May.
    12. César Merino-Soto & Gina Chávez-Ventura & Verónica López-Fernández & Guillermo M. Chans & Filiberto Toledano-Toledano, 2022. "Learning Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ-L): Psychometric and Measurement Invariance Evidence in Peruvian Undergraduate Students," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-17, September.
    13. Klaus Desmet & Esteban Rossi‐Hansberg, 2010. "On Spatial Dynamics," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(1), pages 43-63, February.
    14. Nathaniel Oliver Iotti & Damiano Menin & Tomas Jungert, 2022. "Early Adolescents’ Motivations to Defend Victims of Cyberbullying," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-9, July.
    15. Beyer, Robert C.M. & Franco-Bedoya, Sebastian & Galdo, Virgilio, 2021. "Examining the economic impact of COVID-19 in India through daily electricity consumption and nighttime light intensity," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    16. Stephen J. Redding, 2010. "The Empirics Of New Economic Geography," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(1), pages 297-311, February.
    17. Donald R. Davis & David E. Weinstein, 2008. "A Search For Multiple Equilibria In Urban Industrial Structure," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(1), pages 29-65, February.
    18. AJ Golio, 2024. "Whose Neighborhood Now? Gentrification and Community Life in Low-Income Urban Neighborhoods," Working Papers 24-29, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    19. Chen, Zhimin & Ibragimov, Rustam, 2019. "One country, two systems? The heavy-tailedness of Chinese A- and H- share markets," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 115-141.
    20. Paul Makdissi & Myra Yazbeck, 2012. "On the Measurement of Indignation," Working Papers 1213E, University of Ottawa, Department of Economics.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:envirb:v:50:y:2023:i:7:p:1947-1963. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.