Nighttime light intensity and brightness suitability in urban functional zones

Abstract The identification and distribution of urban functional zones play a crucial role in optimizing urban planning and resource allocation. The differences in brightness of the nocturnal light environment further reveal the characteristics of urban functions. This study takes the main urban are...

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Main Authors: Ming Liu, Ruicong Li, Yiwei Li, Ezzaddeen Ali Mohammed Saeed AL-Mowallad, Chenglong Wu, Wenjing Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10378-3
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author Ming Liu
Ruicong Li
Yiwei Li
Ezzaddeen Ali Mohammed Saeed AL-Mowallad
Chenglong Wu
Wenjing Wang
author_facet Ming Liu
Ruicong Li
Yiwei Li
Ezzaddeen Ali Mohammed Saeed AL-Mowallad
Chenglong Wu
Wenjing Wang
author_sort Ming Liu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The identification and distribution of urban functional zones play a crucial role in optimizing urban planning and resource allocation. The differences in brightness of the nocturnal light environment further reveal the characteristics of urban functions. This study takes the main urban area of Dalian as an example, integrates Point of Interest and OpenStreetMap data to generate functional zone samples, and proposes a multi-scale evaluation framework at the levels of administrative districts, streets, and blocks, combined with Luojia-1 night-time remote sensing imagery. The results show that: (1) Significant differences in brightness exist among functional zones within the study area, and there is a mismatch between actual demand and nighttime light brightness; (2) The Average Nighttime Radiance per Unit Area and Brightness Factor can more accurately reflect the distribution characteristics of urban nighttime light brightness; (3) Clustering based on the Brightness Factor reveals over-bright and under-bright blocks, identifying commercial and port-industry areas as hotspots of excessive nighttime lighting. This study dissects the spatial heterogeneity of the nocturnal light environment from the perspective of urban functional zoning and provides quantitative support for the development of differentiated lighting management policies.
format Article
id doaj-art-6c930a3cc5d34f70bab1f8d5558c0d27
institution Kabale University
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
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series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-6c930a3cc5d34f70bab1f8d5558c0d272025-08-20T03:45:49ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115112110.1038/s41598-025-10378-3Nighttime light intensity and brightness suitability in urban functional zonesMing Liu0Ruicong Li1Yiwei Li2Ezzaddeen Ali Mohammed Saeed AL-Mowallad3Chenglong Wu4Wenjing Wang5School of Architecture and Fine Art, Dalian University of TechnologySchool of Architecture and Fine Art, Dalian University of TechnologySchool of Architecture and Fine Art, Dalian University of TechnologySchool of Architecture and Fine Art, Dalian University of TechnologySchool of Architecture and Fine Art, Dalian University of TechnologySchool of Architecture and Fine Art, Dalian University of TechnologyAbstract The identification and distribution of urban functional zones play a crucial role in optimizing urban planning and resource allocation. The differences in brightness of the nocturnal light environment further reveal the characteristics of urban functions. This study takes the main urban area of Dalian as an example, integrates Point of Interest and OpenStreetMap data to generate functional zone samples, and proposes a multi-scale evaluation framework at the levels of administrative districts, streets, and blocks, combined with Luojia-1 night-time remote sensing imagery. The results show that: (1) Significant differences in brightness exist among functional zones within the study area, and there is a mismatch between actual demand and nighttime light brightness; (2) The Average Nighttime Radiance per Unit Area and Brightness Factor can more accurately reflect the distribution characteristics of urban nighttime light brightness; (3) Clustering based on the Brightness Factor reveals over-bright and under-bright blocks, identifying commercial and port-industry areas as hotspots of excessive nighttime lighting. This study dissects the spatial heterogeneity of the nocturnal light environment from the perspective of urban functional zoning and provides quantitative support for the development of differentiated lighting management policies.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10378-3Multi-source dataUrban functional areasNighttime remote sensing imageryNighttime light environment distributionAppropriateness evaluationLight risk area
spellingShingle Ming Liu
Ruicong Li
Yiwei Li
Ezzaddeen Ali Mohammed Saeed AL-Mowallad
Chenglong Wu
Wenjing Wang
Nighttime light intensity and brightness suitability in urban functional zones
Scientific Reports
Multi-source data
Urban functional areas
Nighttime remote sensing imagery
Nighttime light environment distribution
Appropriateness evaluation
Light risk area
title Nighttime light intensity and brightness suitability in urban functional zones
title_full Nighttime light intensity and brightness suitability in urban functional zones
title_fullStr Nighttime light intensity and brightness suitability in urban functional zones
title_full_unstemmed Nighttime light intensity and brightness suitability in urban functional zones
title_short Nighttime light intensity and brightness suitability in urban functional zones
title_sort nighttime light intensity and brightness suitability in urban functional zones
topic Multi-source data
Urban functional areas
Nighttime remote sensing imagery
Nighttime light environment distribution
Appropriateness evaluation
Light risk area
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10378-3
work_keys_str_mv AT mingliu nighttimelightintensityandbrightnesssuitabilityinurbanfunctionalzones
AT ruicongli nighttimelightintensityandbrightnesssuitabilityinurbanfunctionalzones
AT yiweili nighttimelightintensityandbrightnesssuitabilityinurbanfunctionalzones
AT ezzaddeenalimohammedsaeedalmowallad nighttimelightintensityandbrightnesssuitabilityinurbanfunctionalzones
AT chenglongwu nighttimelightintensityandbrightnesssuitabilityinurbanfunctionalzones
AT wenjingwang nighttimelightintensityandbrightnesssuitabilityinurbanfunctionalzones