Spatial Expansion of Urban Agglomerations in Guangxi Beibu Gulf Economic Zone Based on Night-time Lighting Data
This study used the night-time lighting data of 2013, 2017 and 2021 as the data source,with the help of GIS technology to extract the light distribution area with the specified threshold to characterize the scope of the urban built-up area. Through the urban spatial expansion intensity index, expansion rate, compactness, stand-ard deviation ellipse and other indicators to analyze its spatial expansion characteristics and expansion pattern, and combined with the grey correlation analysis method to explore the driving mechanism of urban spatial pattern change. The results show that:(1) From the perspective of spatial expansion characteristics, the urban space in the study area is dominated by epitaxial expansion, the overall compactness is low and the peripheral contour com-pactness is poor. (2) From the perspective of spatial expansion pattern, the urban space of the study area has grad-ually formed the Nanning-Beihai-Qinzhou-Fangchenggang urban development axis. Chongzuo City and Yulin City, as important node cities, have expanded synchronously and initially formed a coordinated development pattern. (3) The urban spatial distribution pattern gradually evolved from'north-south' to'northwest-southeast' , and finally to'east-west' . The area of the standard deviation ellipse decreased, and the center of gravity moved to the northwest (Nanning) as a whole. (4) From the perspective of driving mechanism, the dominant factor affecting the expan-sion of urban space in the study area is the economic development represented by regional GDP.
night-time lightingurban agglomerationsspatial expansiondriving mechanism analysisGuangxi Beibu Gulf Economic Zone