Foreign experience in using Earth remote sensing data in studying urban development

Abstract

Earth remote sensing data are actively used in studying the development of cities abroad and much less in Russia. The aim of the study was to generalize the foreign experience of using Earth remote sensing data in the study of urban development in social geography and related studies. The experience of predecessors is analyzed. Practically absence of the use of Earth remote sensing data by domestic geographers and social scientists in the study of cities has been revealed. Two types of use of Earth remote sensing data in studying cities abroad are singled out: independent processing of satellite images of specific territories and the use of ready-made sets of processed Earth remote sensing data from large research groups. Both options for using Earth remote sensing data make it possible to compare the territories of the Earth, avoid administrative boundaries and the complexity of statistical accounting, and use longer time series. The differences lie in the depth of the information received and accessibility for the average user. Self-processed Earth remote sensing data are more informative, while ready-made sets are easier to use by ordinary users and with their help it is easier to compare different territories due to the universal methodology. Of the ready-made sets, the data of the Global Human Settlement Layer project from the European Commission stand out for the best quality, as well as the frequency of use.