The benefit of multiple angle observations for visible band remote
sensing using night lights
Abstract
The spatial and angular emission patterns of artificial and natural
light emitted, scattered, and reflected from the Earth at night are far
more complex than those for scattered and reflected solar radiation
during daytime. Here we demonstrate (through examples) that there is
additional information contained in the angular distribution of emitted
light. We argue that this information could be used to improve existing
remote sensing retrievals based on night lights, and in some cases could
make entirely new remote sensing analyses possible. We encourage
researchers and funding agencies to pursue further study of how
multi-angle views can be analyzed or acquired.