Can night-time light images play a role in evaluating the Syrian Crisis?
Can night-time light images play a role in evaluating the Syrian Crisis?
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DOI：
10.1080/01431161.2014.971469
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发表时间：
2014-09-17
影响因子：
3.4
通讯作者：
Li, Deren
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Li, Xi;Li, Deren
这项研究调查了从国防气象卫星计划的运行Linescan系统获取的夜间灯光图像是否提供了关于叙利亚危机人道主义方面的空间和时间洞察。评估叙利亚正在发生的危机具有挑战性，因为可靠的目击者报告很难在战区收集。因此，卫星图像作为为数不多的客观信息来源之一，具有潜在的重要意义。我们使用了38个月国防气象卫星计划的作战线路扫描系统合成物，覆盖了2008年1月至2014年2月期间。结果显示，2011年3月至2014年2月，叙利亚夜间照明和照明面积分别下降了约74%和73%。在14个省份中，有12个省份的夜间灯光下降了60%。大马士革和库奈特拉是例外，夜间光线仅减少了约35%。值得注意的是，每个省的境内流离失所者人数与夜间光线损失呈线性相关，R-2值为0.52。通过对时间序列图像进行聚类，我们发现叙利亚的国际边界代表了具有不同夜间光时空模式的区域之间的明显边界。随着所研究的地区在边界两侧覆盖更广泛的区域，边境两端的反差越来越大。这些发现支持了这样一种假设，即夜间照明可以成为监测叙利亚正在发生的人道主义危机的有用来源。
This study investigates whether night-time light images acquired from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program's Operational Linescan System provide spatial and temporal insight with regard to the humanitarian aspects of the Syrian crisis. Evaluating the ongoing crisis in Syria is challenging since reliable witness reports are hard to gather in a war zone. Therefore satellite images, as one of the few sources of objective information, are potentially of great importance. We used 38 monthly Defense Meteorological Satellite Program's Operational Linescan System composites covering the period between January 2008 and February 2014. The results indicate that night-time light and lit area in Syria declined by about 74% and 73%, respectively, between March 2011 and February 2014. In 12 of 14 provinces, night-time light declined by >60%. Damascus and Quneitra are the exceptions, with night-time light having declined only by about 35%. Notably, the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) of each province shows a linear correlation with night-time light loss, with an R-2 value of 0.52. Through clustering the time series images, we found that the international border of Syria represents a distinct boundary between regions of differing night-time light spatiotemporal patterns. The contrast across the border increases as the region studied encompasses a wider zone on either side of the border. These findings lend support to the hypothesis that night-time light can be a useful source for monitoring humanitarian crises such as that unfolding in Syria.