Estimating municipal contributions to cross-border light pollution using VIIRS satellite data: A case study of a national park in Northwest Mexico
Light pollution is a form of environmental pollution caused by artificial nighttime illumination that reaches and affects areas often distant from major emission sources, such as protected natural areas for species conservation, ecosystems, and landscapes. These areas typically lack regulations addr...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | Environmental Challenges |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667010024002397 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850028444391309312 |
|---|---|
| author | Elvis Puro Coa Georges Seingier Alejandro Sánchez de Miguel Héctor Antonio Solano-Lamphar Fernando Ávila |
| author_facet | Elvis Puro Coa Georges Seingier Alejandro Sánchez de Miguel Héctor Antonio Solano-Lamphar Fernando Ávila |
| author_sort | Elvis Puro Coa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Light pollution is a form of environmental pollution caused by artificial nighttime illumination that reaches and affects areas often distant from major emission sources, such as protected natural areas for species conservation, ecosystems, and landscapes. These areas typically lack regulations addressing this type of pollution and have few studies on the subject. This study estimates, for the first time, transboundary light pollution from Mexico and the United States of America impacting the Constitution 1857 National Park in Baja California, Mexico. This park represents an area of interest for preserving its landscapes, water sources, and transit zone for migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway. Using VIIRS satellite imagery and considering a 200 km radius around the National Park, light pollution at the zenith of the fourteen municipalities adjacent to the protected area was calculated. Three indicators of light pollution status for the period 2012–2021 were obtained: zenith radiance, radiant intensity, and percentage contribution by municipalities in the border context. The municipalities with the highest zenith radiance values for the period 2012–2021 are Mexicali, Ensenada, San Diego, and Imperial, with the highest radiance contribution being 75 % from Mexico and 25 % from the United States. Such contributions provide crucial data for assessing the transboundary environmental impacts of light pollution and aid in managing the protected area and revising light pollution regulations in these municipalities and counties. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9923e10a097943b18434634ae7dbdceb |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2667-0100 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Challenges |
| spelling | doaj-art-9923e10a097943b18434634ae7dbdceb2025-08-20T02:59:49ZengElsevierEnvironmental Challenges2667-01002025-04-011810107310.1016/j.envc.2024.101073Estimating municipal contributions to cross-border light pollution using VIIRS satellite data: A case study of a national park in Northwest MexicoElvis Puro Coa0Georges Seingier1Alejandro Sánchez de Miguel2Héctor Antonio Solano-Lamphar3Fernando Ávila4Instituto de Investigaciones Oceanológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Ensenada, Baja California, MexicoFacultad de Ciencias Marinas, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico; Corresponding author.Departamento de Física de la Tierra y Astrofísica. Instituto de Física de Partículas y del Cosmos (IPARCOS), Universidad Complutense, Madrid, España; Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UKCentro de Investigación en Ciencias de Información Geoespacial A.C., Parque Tecnológico Querétaro, San Fandila 76908 Querétaro, Mexico; Consejo Nacional de Humanidades, Ciencias y Tecnologías, Insurgentes Sur 1582, Crédito Constructor, 03940, Ciudad de México, MexicoInstituto de Astronomía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apdo. Postal 877, Ensenada, Baja California 22800, MexicoLight pollution is a form of environmental pollution caused by artificial nighttime illumination that reaches and affects areas often distant from major emission sources, such as protected natural areas for species conservation, ecosystems, and landscapes. These areas typically lack regulations addressing this type of pollution and have few studies on the subject. This study estimates, for the first time, transboundary light pollution from Mexico and the United States of America impacting the Constitution 1857 National Park in Baja California, Mexico. This park represents an area of interest for preserving its landscapes, water sources, and transit zone for migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway. Using VIIRS satellite imagery and considering a 200 km radius around the National Park, light pollution at the zenith of the fourteen municipalities adjacent to the protected area was calculated. Three indicators of light pollution status for the period 2012–2021 were obtained: zenith radiance, radiant intensity, and percentage contribution by municipalities in the border context. The municipalities with the highest zenith radiance values for the period 2012–2021 are Mexicali, Ensenada, San Diego, and Imperial, with the highest radiance contribution being 75 % from Mexico and 25 % from the United States. Such contributions provide crucial data for assessing the transboundary environmental impacts of light pollution and aid in managing the protected area and revising light pollution regulations in these municipalities and counties.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667010024002397Light pollutionUSA-Mexico borderProtected areasSky brightnessConstitution 1857 National ParkRemote sensing |
| spellingShingle | Elvis Puro Coa Georges Seingier Alejandro Sánchez de Miguel Héctor Antonio Solano-Lamphar Fernando Ávila Estimating municipal contributions to cross-border light pollution using VIIRS satellite data: A case study of a national park in Northwest Mexico Environmental Challenges Light pollution USA-Mexico border Protected areas Sky brightness Constitution 1857 National Park Remote sensing |
| title | Estimating municipal contributions to cross-border light pollution using VIIRS satellite data: A case study of a national park in Northwest Mexico |
| title_full | Estimating municipal contributions to cross-border light pollution using VIIRS satellite data: A case study of a national park in Northwest Mexico |
| title_fullStr | Estimating municipal contributions to cross-border light pollution using VIIRS satellite data: A case study of a national park in Northwest Mexico |
| title_full_unstemmed | Estimating municipal contributions to cross-border light pollution using VIIRS satellite data: A case study of a national park in Northwest Mexico |
| title_short | Estimating municipal contributions to cross-border light pollution using VIIRS satellite data: A case study of a national park in Northwest Mexico |
| title_sort | estimating municipal contributions to cross border light pollution using viirs satellite data a case study of a national park in northwest mexico |
| topic | Light pollution USA-Mexico border Protected areas Sky brightness Constitution 1857 National Park Remote sensing |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667010024002397 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT elvispurocoa estimatingmunicipalcontributionstocrossborderlightpollutionusingviirssatellitedataacasestudyofanationalparkinnorthwestmexico AT georgesseingier estimatingmunicipalcontributionstocrossborderlightpollutionusingviirssatellitedataacasestudyofanationalparkinnorthwestmexico AT alejandrosanchezdemiguel estimatingmunicipalcontributionstocrossborderlightpollutionusingviirssatellitedataacasestudyofanationalparkinnorthwestmexico AT hectorantoniosolanolamphar estimatingmunicipalcontributionstocrossborderlightpollutionusingviirssatellitedataacasestudyofanationalparkinnorthwestmexico AT fernandoavila estimatingmunicipalcontributionstocrossborderlightpollutionusingviirssatellitedataacasestudyofanationalparkinnorthwestmexico |