Mapping Urban Morphology through Satellite Remote Sensing and Geospatial Analysis: A Comparison of Two American Metropolises
ISBN 978-85-88783-11-9
Authors
1Liu, T.; 2Yang, X.
1NORTHEASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY Email: t-liu1@neiu.edu
2FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY Email: xyang@fsu.edu
Abstract
Information on urban morphology is critical to analyze the physical structure of a city and the underlying processes. This paper presents our research aiming to map urban morphology in two large American metropolises: Atlanta, Georgia and Chicago, Illinois, through the use of satellite remote sensing and geospatial analysis. Atlanta and Chicago contrast each other not only in the geographic location but also in urban forms and underlying development processes. Our research focus is upon the configuration of urban land and transportation networks in order to analyze the spatial pattern in both cities. Satellite remote sensing and geospatial analysis are employed to delineate urban land and transportation patterns at various scales. Specifically, remote sensing is used to map urban built-up land patterns. Landsat satellite imagery is chosen for the analysis of urban land use patterns at the metropolitan level. Sub-pixel analysis is employed to address the mixed pixel problem found in urban areas when using medium-resolution remotely sensed imagery. Percent impervious surface maps are produced with the sub-pixel analysis of Landsat imagery for both cities for the year of 2000 and 2010. GIS is further used to map urban morphology by incorporating ancillary data and spatial analysis techniques. Specifically, detailed land use data are used to refine the percent impervious surface maps produced through remote sensing. The detailed land use maps are used to visualize the urban spatial patterns. Maps representing transportation accessibility are further produced for different urban land uses, which allow further examination of the relationship between transportation development and urban spatial patterns. Then, GIS-based spatial analysis is performed to quantify the degree of urban expansion to capture the location, density and fragmentation of urban land at multiple spatial extents and their changes over time. Different forms of the urban land and transportation layout are clearly visualized for the grid street patterns of Chicago and the hierarchical street patterns in Atlanta.