June 2020

VIIRS Plus DMSP Change in Lights (VIIRS+DMSP dLIGHT), v1 (1992, 2002, 2013)


PURPOSE

To visualize changes in brightness and extent of global nighttime lights networks over two decades with improved radiometric accuracy and finer spatial resolution.


DESCRIPTION

The VIIRS Plus DMSP Change in Lights (VIIRS+DMSP dLIGHT) data set fuses nighttime lights imagery from the U.S. Air Force Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Operational Linescan System (OLS) with a stable night light composite from the next generation Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Day-Night Band to map the spatial distribution and temporal evolution of global nighttime lights between 1992 and 2015. The product visualizes changes in both brightness and extent of nocturnal low lights over two decades while minimizing the spatial overextent (overglow) and bright saturation that compromise the DMSP-OLS composites. The map product utilizes annual DMSP-OLS stable lights composites, produced by the NOAA Earth Observation Group and archived at the NOAA National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC), in a tri-temporal global change map. To achieve greater spatial resolution and radiometric accuracy, the DMSP-OLS composites are co-registered and fused with the 2015 VIIRS annual composite from NGDC. The final product therefore retains the spatial detail and dynamic range of the VIIRS product, and the decadal change information from DMSP-OLS images. In the image, warmer colors represent brightening of nighttime lights post-1992, while cooler colors reflect dimming. As with all pan-sharpening approaches, projecting the 1992 to 2013 changes onto the 2015 lighted extent does not necessarily show the true spatial structure pre-2015, but rather shows the temporal evolution of brightness of lighted areas circa 2015, without the effects of overglow or saturation. 


ACCESSING THE DATA

The data may be downloaded at https://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/data/set/sdei-viirs-dmsp-dlight/data-download


DATA FORMAT

This archive contains GIS data in the GeoTIFF format.

The data file is a compressed zipfile. Downloaded files need to be uncompressed in a single folder using either WinZip (Windows file compression utility) or similar application. Users should expect an increase in the size of downloaded data after decompression. 


DATA VALUES

This data set includes one global raster file that shows the extent of nighttime lights change.

Band 1: The red band represents data derived from the 2013 annual composite. 

Band 2: The green band represents data derived from the 2002 annual composite.

Band 3: The blue band represents data derived from the 1992 annual composite.


SPATIAL EXTENT

Global at Bounding Box:

West  -180    East  180
North   90    South -90

The data are provided in the World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84) Geographic Coordinate System at a resolution of 15 arc-seconds.


DISCLAIMER

CIESIN follows procedures designed to ensure that data disseminated by CIESIN are of reasonable quality. If, despite these procedures, users encounter apparent errors or misstatements in the data, they should contact SEDAC User Services at ciesin.info@ciesin.columbia.edu. Neither CIESIN nor NASA verifies or guarantees the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of any data provided. CIESIN provides this data without warranty of any kind whatsoever, either expressed or implied. CIESIN shall not be liable for incidental, consequential, or special damages arising out of the use of any data provided by CIESIN.


USE CONSTRAINTS

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0). Users are free to use, copy, distribute, transmit, and adapt the work for commercial and non-commercial purposes, without restriction, as long as clear attribution of the source is provided.


RECOMMENDED CITATION(S)

Data Set:

Small, C., and Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia University. 2020. VIIRS Plus DMSP Change in Lights (VIIRS+DMSP dLIGHT). Palisades, NY: NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). https://doi.org/10.7927/9ryj-6467. Accessed DAY MONTH YEAR.


Scientific Publications: 

Doll, C. 2008. CIESIN Thematic Guide to Night-time Light Remote Sensing and its Applications. Palisades NY: NASA Socioecnomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). Available at https://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/binaries/web/sedac/thematic-guides/ciesin_nl_tg.pdf.

Elvidge, C. D., K. Baugh, Z. Mikhail, F. C. Hsu, and T. Ghosh. 2017. VIIRS Night-time Lights, International Journal of Remote Sensing, 38:21, 5860-5879, https://doi.org/10.1080/01431161.2017.1342050.

Small, C. 2020. Spatiotemporal Network Evolution of Anthropogenic Night Light 1992-2015. arXiv:2005.12197 [physics.soc-ph] (2020), 1-25. Available at https://arxiv.org/abs/2005.12197.

Small, C., D. Sousa, G. Yetman, C. Elvidge, and K. MacManus. 2018. Decades of Urban Growth and Development on the Asian Megadeltas. Global and Planetary Change 165: 62-89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2018.03.005.

Small, C., S. van der Linden, A. Okujeni, and B. Waske. 2018. Remote Sensing of Urban Environments. Ch. 6.07 in Comprehensive Remote Sensing, vol. 6, pp. 96–127. Oxford: Elsevier. ISBN: 9780128032206. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-409548-9.10380-X. The procedure stipulated in this paper is applied to imaging data that covers the global extent.