Detecting urban markets with satellite imagery: An application to India

A-Tier
Journal: Journal of Urban Economics
Year: 2021
Volume: 125
Issue: C

Authors (4)

Baragwanath, Kathryn (not in RePEc) Goldblatt, Ran (not in RePEc) Hanson, Gordon (Harvard University) Khandelwal, Amit K. (Yale University)

Score contribution per author:

1.005 = (α=2.01 / 4 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We propose a methodology for defining urban markets based on builtup landcover classified from daytime satellite imagery. Compared to markets defined using minimum thresholds for nighttime light intensity, daytime imagery identify an order of magnitude more markets, capture more of India’s urban population, are more realistically jagged in shape, and reveal more variation in the spatial distribution of economic activity. We conclude that daytime satellite data are a promising source for the study of urban forms.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:juecon:v:125:y:2021:i:c:s0094119019300427
Journal Field
Urban
Author Count
4
Added to Database
2026-01-25