Urban Morphology and Urbanization Process in Ecuador in Light of the Night Satellite Image of the Earth

Abstract

The article analyzes the urban processes of the main urban areas of Ecuador through the use of nocturnal satellite images, considering the magnitude and intensity of the luminosity, as well as its evolution during the last decades. In the first part, the methodology to determine the threshold of urban luminosity using the satellite images of the dmsp-ols series is explained. Afterwards, the intensity of the luminosity is analyzed, along with the magnitude of the areas with urban luminosity, as well as their temporal variations. The results agree with the hypothesis that the expansive process of low-density development present in the cities of Ecuador, generates a rapid extension of the urban uses that can be inefficient from the economic point of view and unsustainable from the environmental perspective. Regarding the methodological aspects, the article shows the potential that can be derived from the sources and procedures tested, relatively innovative in the Latin American context.