Geospatial Analysis of Urban Expansion Using Remote Sensing Methods and Data: A Case Study of Yangtze River Delta, China

Wei Sun,Jie Shan,Zhiming Wang,Lei Wang,Kun Yu,Zhifeng Jin,Dianmei Lu

doi:10.1155/2020/3239471

Abstract

Land use in the Yangtze River Delta in 2000 and 2017 was classified by the visual interpretation of Landsat satellite images. Then, these images were overlain with economic and physical geographical data to analyze the urban spatial expansion pattern and its physical constraints and socioeconomic influence factors by employing a combination of transition matrix analysis, expansion intensity indices, and equal-fan analysis. The results showed that from 2000 to 2017, there was a significant increase in built-up areas in the region, with rapid expansion in the core area. The northern and southern parts of the Yangtze River Delta experienced different urban spatial expansions, with a higher scale and rate in the cities along the Yangtze River and the coast in Jiangsu Province in the north than in Zhejiang Province in the south. Cities expanded towards megacities or hubs along the Yangtze River or the coast, indicating that urban expansion is influenced by preferential policies and urban planning factors in addition to the spillover effects of neighboring cities and the adjacency to seas or large rivers. Finally, urban expansion is significantly constrained by elevation, with cities at lower elevations or in flat terrain undergoing more rapid urban expansion and development.

Highlights

Urbanization is a socioeconomic phenomenon with farreaching effects and is a major indicator of regional economic development and social progress
Urban spatial expansion is a major indicator of urbanization, making it necessary to implement long-term monitoring of urban expansion and in-depth studies of the rate, direction, and scale of expansion to identify the corresponding critical driving factors and reveal their variation patterns
In 2009, images collected by Landsat satellites became freely available from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), with historical images dating back to 1982 at 15∼30 m pixel resolutions

Summary

Introduction

Urbanization is a socioeconomic phenomenon with farreaching effects and is a major indicator of regional economic development and social progress. Urban land increased at an even higher rate, by nearly two and a half times, from the 1990s to early 2000s [2]. Urban spatial expansion is a major indicator of urbanization, making it necessary to implement long-term monitoring of urban expansion and in-depth studies of the rate, direction, and scale of expansion to identify the corresponding critical driving factors and reveal their variation patterns. Land resources can be analyzed in a systematic and reasonable manner to sufficiently balance urbanization and sustainable economic development. Urbanization studies date back to the early 20th century, focusing on the spatiotemporal patterns, driving factors, and impact of urban expansion. Based on an analysis of land consumption in Milan, Italy, Camagni et al [4] identified the following modes of urban expansion: packing, extension, linear expansion

Methods

Results

Conclusion