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Tracking Electrification in Vietnam Using Nighttime Lights


We report on a systematic ground-based validation of DMSP-OLS night lights imagery to detect rural electrification in Vietnam. Based on an original survey of village-level units in Vietnam, this study compares nighttime light output from the U.S. Air Force Defense Meteorological Satellite Program’s Operational Linescan System (DMSP-OLS) against ground-based survey data on electrical infrastructure and electricity use in 200 electrified villages. Monthly and annual composites record a one-point increase in brightness along DMSP-OLS’s 63-point brightness scale for every 60–70 additional streetlights or 240–270 electrified homes. Using a time series of 90 nightly images, the data show a one-point increase in brightness for every 125–200 additional streetlights, or 550–700 additional electrified homes. The results highlight the potential to use night lights imagery to support efforts to connect the 1.2 billion people who lack electricity around the world.

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Author(s) Brian Min, Kwawu Mensan Gaba
Last Updated March 24, 2021, 16:06 (UTC)
Created December 8, 2020, 00:31 (UTC)
Stable Link https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=zh-TW&as_sdt=0%2C21&q=Tracking+Electrification+in+Vietnam+Using+Nighttime+Lights&btnG=
Date 2014-10-09
Content Type Publications
Primary Category Demographics & Socioeconomics
Sub Category Socioeconomics
Country Name Vietnam
Location Latitude 14.0583
Location Longitude 108.2772
Publishing Organization New Light Technologies