Using Multi-Source Nighttime Lights Data to Proxy for County-Level Economic Activity in China from 2012 to 2019

The use of nighttime lights (NTL) data to proxy for local economic activity is well established in remote sensing and other disciplines. Validation studies comparing NTL with traditional indicators, such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP), underpin this usage applied studies. Yet the most widely cited validation do not latest products, may distinguish between time-series cross-sectional uses data, usually are aggregated units, nation-states or first sub-national level, yet increasingly focus on smaller lower-level spatial units. To provide more updated disaggregated results, study examines relationships GDP 2657 county-level units China, observed each year from 2012 2019. used were three sources: Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP), whose time series was recently extended 2019; two sets Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) products. set VIIRS products released version 2 (V.2 VNL) annual composites, second NASA Black Marble composites. Contrasts made predictions differences areas changes over time, also considered different levels aggregation.