IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/envirb/v51y2024i2p419-437.html

Identifying sinks and sources of human flows: A new approach to characterizing urban structures

Author

Listed:
  • Takaaki Aoki
  • Shota Fujishima
  • Naoya Fujiwara

Abstract

Human flow data are rich behavioral data relevant to people’s decision-making regarding where to live, work, go shopping, etc., and provide vital information for identifying city centers. However, it is not as easy to understand massive relational data, and datasets have often been reduced merely to the statistics of trip counts at destinations, discarding relational information from origin to destination. In this study, we propose an alternative center identification method based on human mobility data. This method extracts the scalar potential field of human trips based on combinatorial Hodge theory. It detects not only statistically significant attractive locations as the sinks of human trips but also significant origins as the sources of trips. As a case study, we identify the sinks and sources of commuting and shopping trips in the Tokyo metropolitan area. This aim-specific analysis leads to a combinatorial classification of city centers based on the distinct aspects of human mobility. The proposed method can be applied to other mobility datasets with relevant properties and helps us examine the complex spatial structures in contemporary metropolitan areas from the multiple perspectives of human mobility.

Suggested Citation

  • Takaaki Aoki & Shota Fujishima & Naoya Fujiwara, 2024. "Identifying sinks and sources of human flows: A new approach to characterizing urban structures," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 51(2), pages 419-437, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envirb:v:51:y:2024:i:2:p:419-437
    DOI: 10.1177/23998083231180608
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/23998083231180608
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/23998083231180608?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. Riccardo Marcaccioli & Giacomo Livan, 2019. "A Pólya urn approach to information filtering in complex networks," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Giuliano, Genevieve & Small, Kenneth A., 1991. "Subcenters in the Los Angeles region," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 21(2), pages 163-182, July.
    3. Shunfeng Song, 1994. "Modelling Worker Residence Distribution in the Los Angeles Region," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 31(9), pages 1533-1544, November.
    4. McMillen, Daniel P. & McDonald, John F., 1998. "Suburban Subcenters and Employment Density in Metropolitan Chicago," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 43(2), pages 157-180, March.
    5. Martijn Burger & Evert Meijers, 2012. "Form Follows Function? Linking Morphological and Functional Polycentricity," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 49(5), pages 1127-1149, April.
    6. Small Kenneth A. & Song Shunfeng, 1994. "Population and Employment Densities: Structure and Change," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 292-313, November.
    7. Redfearn, Christian L., 2007. "The topography of metropolitan employment: Identifying centers of employment in a polycentric urban area," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(3), pages 519-541, May.
    8. Mattia Mazzoli & Alex Molas & Aleix Bassolas & Maxime Lenormand & Pere Colet & José J. Ramasco, 2019. "Field theory for recurrent mobility," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-10, December.
    9. Michele Tumminello & Salvatore Miccichè & Fabrizio Lillo & Jyrki Piilo & Rosario N Mantegna, 2011. "Statistically Validated Networks in Bipartite Complex Systems," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(3), pages 1-11, March.
    10. Craig, Steven G. & Ng, Pin T., 2001. "Using Quantile Smoothing Splines to Identify Employment Subcenters in a Multicentric Urban Area," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(1), pages 100-120, January.
    11. McMillen, Daniel P. & Smith, Stefani C., 2003. "The number of subcenters in large urban areas," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 53(3), pages 321-338, May.
    12. Nathan B. Anderson & William T. Bogart, 2001. "The Structure of Sprawl: Identifying and Characterizing Employment Centers in Polycentric Metropolitan Areas," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(1), pages 147-169, January.
    13. Yongqiang Lv & Xinqi Zheng & Lin Zhou & Lulu Zhang, 2017. "Decentralization and Polycentricity: Spatial Changes of Employment in Beijing Metropolitan Area, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-17, October.
    14. Martijn J. Burger & Bert van der Knaap & Ronald S. Wall, 2014. "Polycentricity and the Multiplexity of Urban Networks," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(4), pages 816-840, April.
    15. McMillen, Daniel P., 2001. "Nonparametric Employment Subcenter Identification," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(3), pages 448-473, November.
    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. Zheng, Zhicheng & Li, Yang & Rong, Peijun & Zhang, Lijun & Qin, Yaochen & Liu, Gangjun, 2025. "Spatio-temporal dynamic characteristics of the substitution effect of ride-hailing travel and its multi-activity network: a case study of Chengdu," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).

    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. Chunil Kim & Choongik Choi, 2019. "Towards Sustainable Urban Spatial Structure: Does Decentralization Reduce Commuting Times?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-28, February.
    2. Josep Roca Cladera & Carlos R. Marmolejo Duarte & Montserrat Moix, 2009. "Urban Structure and Polycentrism: Towards a Redefinition of the Sub-centre Concept," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 46(13), pages 2841-2868, December.
    3. Jaume Masip Tresserra, 2012. "Identifying the Employment and Population Centers at regional and metropolitan scale: The Case of Catalonia and Barcelona," ERSA conference papers ersa12p70, European Regional Science Association.
    4. Miquel-Àngel García-López, 2010. "The Accessibility City. When Transport Infrastructure Matters in Urban Spatial Structure," Working Papers XREAP2010-01, Xarxa de Referència en Economia Aplicada (XREAP), revised Feb 2010.
    5. Miguel Angel Garcia Lopez & Ivan Muñiz Olivera, 2005. "Employment descentralisation: polycentric compaction or sprawl? The case of the Barcelona Metropolitan Region 1986-1996," Working Papers wpdea0511, Department of Applied Economics at Universitat Autonoma of Barcelona.
    6. Ajay Agarwal & Genevieve Giuliano & Christian Redfearn, 2012. "Strangers in our midst: the usefulness of exploring polycentricity," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 48(2), pages 433-450, April.
    7. Genevieve Giuliano & Yuting Hou & Sanggyun Kang & Eun Jin Shin, 2022. "Polycentricity and the evolution of metropolitan spatial structure," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(2), pages 593-627, June.
    8. Jaume Masip Tresserra, 2012. "Does Employment Density death? Towards a new integrated methodology to identify and characterize Sub-Centres," ERSA conference papers ersa12p71, European Regional Science Association.
    9. Genevieve Giuliano & Christian Redfearn, 2005. "Not all sprawl - Evolution of employment centers in Los Angeles, 1980 - 2000," ERSA conference papers ersa05p686, European Regional Science Association.
    10. Paolo VENERI, 2010. "The Identification of Sub-centres in Two Italian Metropolitan Areas: a Functional Approach," Working Papers 343, Universita' Politecnica delle Marche (I), Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche e Sociali.
    11. Redfearn, Christian L., 2007. "The topography of metropolitan employment: Identifying centers of employment in a polycentric urban area," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(3), pages 519-541, May.
    12. Miguel Ángel García & Ivan Muñiz, 2005. "Descentralización del empleo: ¿compactación policéntrica o dispersión? El caso de la región metropolitana de Barcelona 1986-1996," Working Papers wpdea0506, Department of Applied Economics at Universitat Autonoma of Barcelona.
    13. Frederic Gilli, 2009. "Sprawl or Reagglomeration? The Dynamics of Employment Deconcentration and Industrial Transformation in Greater Paris," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 46(7), pages 1385-1420, June.
    14. Redfearn, Christian L., 2009. "Persistence in urban form: The long-run durability of employment centers in metropolitan areas," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(2), pages 224-232, March.
    15. Genevieve Giuliano & Christian Redfearn & Ajay Agarwal & Chen Li & Duan Zhuang, 2005. "Not All Sprawl: Evolution of Employment Concentrations in Los Angeles, 1980-2000," Working Paper 8589, USC Lusk Center for Real Estate.
    16. Ivan Muñiz & Anna Galindo & Miguel Angel García, 2005. "Descentralisation, Integration and polycentrism in Barcelona," Working Papers wpdea0512, Department of Applied Economics at Universitat Autonoma of Barcelona.
    17. McMillen, Daniel P. & Smith, Stefani C., 2003. "The number of subcenters in large urban areas," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 53(3), pages 321-338, May.
    18. Carlos Marmolejo Duarte & Carlos Aguirre Nuñez & Eduardo Chica Mejia & Claudia Perez Prieto & Jaume Masip Tresserra, 2011. "Polycentrism in the Spanish metropolitan system: an analysis for 7 metro areas," ERSA conference papers ersa11p119, European Regional Science Association.
    19. Yang Xiao & Yao Wang & Siyu Miao & Xinyi Niu, 2021. "Assessing polycentric urban development in Shanghai, China, with detailed passive mobile phone data," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 48(9), pages 2656-2674, November.
    20. Bumsoo Lee, 2006. "'Edge' or 'Edgeless Cities'? Urban Spatial Structure in US Metropolitan Areas, 1980 to 2000," Working Paper 8574, USC Lusk Center for Real Estate.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:51:y:2024:i:2:p:419-437. 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.